WTOP-FM Top Revenue-Generating Radio Station in U.S. in 2017

With almost $68 million, WTOP-FM in Washington, D.C., was the highest revenue-generating radio station in the United States in 2017. The station has been at the top or close to the top of the radio station revenue-generating list for years.  In the list of top-ten revenue-generating stations released by BIA Advisory Services, the other nine are located in NYC, LA and Chicago.

According to BIA Advisory Services, “Our first edition of Investing In Radio® Market Report reports that the radio industry reported a 9.7% percent increase in online revenues, compared with a slight decline in over-the-air income of 2.0 percent. This combined to cause a 0.2% drop from 2016 to end the year at $13.87 billion, which placed local radio in the fifth position ad revenue-wise. Direct mail, television, newspaper, mobile local ad platforms were first through fourth respectively.

“Although still important players in their local markets, local radio stations are facing an unprecedented number of new audio entertainment and information sources, including many that are unregulated. It’s an aggressive environment that competes for audiences with local radio.”