NONCOMMERCIAL MARKET PROFILE: BURLINGTON, VERMONT

Burlington, Vermont has been called the happiest city in America for good reasons. It is located on the shores of beautiful Lake Champlain, the largest freshwater lake on the eastern seaboard. Burlington is full of dreamers with a do-it-yourself ethic. It is an enclave for liberals – Senator Bernie Saunders was mayor. People in suits and people in t-shirts mingle while enjoying music and visual arts.

Burlington is also a very sophisticated noncommercial radio market. Vermont Public Radio’s NPR News stations set the pace with an incredible 18.0 weekly Cume Rating.  Local CCM WGLY – The Light – is a regional presence.  WOMM is one of the best LPFM stations in the nation.

Though the city of Burlington has a population around 50,000, the area has over 300,000 including lots of folks in Upstate New York on the west side Lake Champlain.

BURLINGTON AREA NONCOMMERCIAL RADIO DIAL

Nielsen Audio Market Rank: 145

12+ Population: 328,100

Ethnic Composition:  Black 2.65% ; Hispanic 2%

FREQ	CALLS	FORMAT	SPRING 2015 AQH %	SPRING 2015 WEEKLY LISTENERS	ESTIMATED ANNUAL BUDGET
88.1	WSLU Repeater	NPR News & Classical	1.3	23,000	$2,785,000
89.3	KEBR translator	Christian Rapture	Na	Na	Family Radio Repeater
90.1	WRUV	College Rock	Na	Na	$55,000
90.9	WOXR	Classical	2.1	29,600	$8,595,000*
91.1	WGDR	Political Rants & Volunteer Music	Na	Na	$293,000
91.5	WGLY	CCM	Na	Na	$480,000
91.9	WAMC Repeater	NPR News	0.5	5,100	$7,148,000
105.9	WOMM-LP	Triple A & Alternative Rock	Na	Na	$59,000
107.9	WVPS	NPR News	11.3	129,800	$8,595,000*

*All Vermont Public Radio stations combined

Data Sources: Nielsen Audio, IRS 990 Filings, CPB, station websites and other sources

NONCOM STATION PROFILES

88.1 WXLU (link) is a repeater of WSLU – North Country Public Radio – based at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. North Country Public Radio’s regional news is highly regarded. 

89.3 is a translator and satellite-fed repeater of Family Radio, the rapture-loving folks based in California. Consider this to be further proof of the lameness of the FCC’s rules that allow noncom religious broadcasters to do fundraising in places they provide no local service.

90.1 WRUV [link] is the radio voice of the University of Vermont with an emphasis on the local music scene. Most of WRUV’s funding comes from student fees but pledging and underwriting from the community continues to climb. WRUV curates a comprehensive guide to venues and life in Burlington at [link].

90.9 WOXR [link] is the flagship of Vermont Public Radio’s (VPR) classical network. In 2007 VPR bought a struggling religious station and flipped it to classical allowing VPR’s statewide NPR station to concentrate on news.

91.1 WGDR [link] puts a marginal signal into Burlington but has a larger reputation.  WGDR broadcasts from Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont. Goddard’s alumni includes such notables such as actor William H. Macy, writer David Mamet and musician Trey Anastasio of Phish fame. WGDR acts like an old=school community station, combining political shows like Democracy Now! with local music and talk programming. WGDH, a repeated of WGDR signed on in 2008. 

91.5 WGLY [link] is owned and operated by local nonprofit Christian Ministries Incorporated. WGLY is the flagship of The Light Radio Network, one of two regional CCM networks serving the faithful in Vermont, Upstate New York, New Hampshire and Canada. 

91.9 WCEL [link] is a repeater of WAMC, Albany and is known as Northeast Public Radio. Northeast is a regional public radio network with over 30 stations and translators that serve portions of seven states.

105.9 WOMM [link] is 105 The Radiator, an excellent LPFM station operated under the auspices of the Burlington Peace and Justice Center. It is part of the Vermont Alliance of Musicians and Presenters, a gutsy nonprofit doing business as Big Heavy World. 

The volunteer-based organization also makes possible an artist directory, business referral network, a record label and an online music store. The station plays a tasty blend of Triple A and Alternative Rock with smatterings of blues, Americana and lots and lots of Vermont artists.  I wish there were more LPFM’s like this one!

107.9 WVPS is Vermont Public Radio’s [link] primary NPR News signal in Burlington. Since 1977 VPR has provided remarkable service to the entire state of Vermont.