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← RADIO MILWAUKEE INC

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by RADIO MILWAUKEE INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$4,974,870
Total expenses
$4,136,261
Contributions and grants received
$2,631,631
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$2,264,198
Investment income
$22,860
Other revenue
$56,181
Total assets, end of year
$4,758,158
Total liabilities, end of year
$245,436
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$4,512,722
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$2,582,897
Management and general expenses
$405,332
Fundraising expenses
$1,148,032
Program service expenses (Part III)
$2,582,897

Program services were 62.4% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $71,716

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $2,559,915

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $16,063

  • 2a · Program service revenue: MEMBERSHIP FEE REVENUE

    total $998,172 · related or exempt $998,172

  • 2b · Program service revenue: TRADE UNDERWRITING REVENUE

    total $701,717 · related or exempt $701,717

  • 2c · Program service revenue: UNDERWRITING REVENUE

    total $564,309 · related or exempt $499,414 · unrelated business $64,895

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $24,126 · excluded $24,126

  • 5 · Royalties

    total $11,250 · excluded $11,250

  • 6a · Gross rents

    real property $55,137

  • 6b · Less rental expenses

    real property $0

  • 6c · Rental income or loss

    real property $55,137

  • 6d · Net rental income or loss

    total $55,137 · excluded $55,137

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    other assets $1,266

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    other assets -$1,266

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total -$1,266 · excluded -$1,266

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $82,179

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $71,716

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $103,394

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total -$21,215 · excluded -$21,215

  • 11d · All other revenue

    total $11,009 · excluded $11,009

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $11,009

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $268,481 · program services $40,272 · management and general $187,937 · fundraising $40,272

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $1,795,608 · program services $1,022,334 · management and general $27,017 · fundraising $746,257

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $33,137 · program services $17,042 · management and general $3,440 · fundraising $12,655

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $187,544 · program services $95,359 · management and general $18,788 · fundraising $73,397

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $154,438 · program services $79,611 · management and general $16,920 · fundraising $57,907

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $358 · management and general $358

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $47,139 · management and general $47,139

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $64,656 · program services $11,520 · management and general $41,136 · fundraising $12,000

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $711,315 · program services $705,678 · fundraising $5,637

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $43,235 · program services $9,150 · management and general $15,771 · fundraising $18,314

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $33,079 · program services $16,614 · management and general $3,723 · fundraising $12,742

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $123,085 · program services $110,777 · management and general $6,154 · fundraising $6,154

  • 17 · Travel

    total $4,798 · program services $430 · management and general $3,229 · fundraising $1,139

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $19,816 · program services $1,776 · management and general $13,335 · fundraising $4,705

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $138,082 · program services $124,274 · management and general $6,904 · fundraising $6,904

  • 24a · Other expenses: STATION PROGRAMMING

    total $327,697 · program services $326,487 · management and general $1,125 · fundraising $85

  • 24b · Other expenses: MEMBER EVENTS

    total $155,221 · program services $9,358 · fundraising $145,863

  • 24c · Other expenses: BANK FEES

    total $28,572 · program services $12,215 · management and general $12,356 · fundraising $4,001

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $182,849 · end of year $373,487

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $1,002,493 · end of year $1,180,597

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $353,374 · end of year $963,721

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $146,844 · end of year $82,378

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $44,714 · end of year $42,577

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $4,084,826

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $1,999,414

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $2,224,760 · end of year $2,085,412

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $33,585 · end of year $29,986

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $242,735 · end of year $214,376

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $14,029 · end of year $23,448

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $11,593 · end of year $7,612

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $3,180,384 · end of year $3,257,863

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $539,878 · end of year $1,254,859

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

TO REACH A NEW GENERATION OF RADIO LISTENERS ON AIR, ONLINE AND IN THE COMMUNITY WITH A COMPELLING SELECTION OF MUSIC AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAMMING. THE CORPORATION CELEBRATES MILWAUKEE MUSIC, ARTS, HERITAGE, AND CULTURE BY SUPPORTING AND CONTRIBUTING TO A COMMUNITY THAT ENCOURAGES MULTI-ETHNIC COLLABORATION AND CONVERSATION AND BY PROMOTING A POSITIVE GLOBAL IDENTITY FOR THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE.

Activities or mission (Part I)

THROUGH MUSIC AND STORIES CREATED FOR A CULTURALLY OPEN- MINDED COMMUNITY, RADIO MILWAUKEE, INC. IS A CATALYST FOR CREATING A BETTER, MORE INCLUSIVE, AND ENGAGED MILWAUKEE.

  • RADIO MILWAUKEE IS A PUBLIC RADIO STATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ESTABLISHED IN 2007, THE STATION HIGHLIGHTS MILWAUKEE'S VIBRANT COMMUNITY, SHOWCASING ITS MUSICIANS, NON-PROFITS, AND INDIVIDUALS WHO CONTRIBUTE TO ITS DIVERSITY AND VITALITY. DAILY, RADIO MILWAUKEE FEATURES FRESH MUSIC, LOCAL ARTISTS, AND COMMUNITY STORIES THAT CELEBRATE THOSE WORKING TO ENHANCE THE CITY'S LIVABILITY. THE STATION FOSTERS AN ACTIVE ONLINE COMMUNITY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND A DYNAMIC WEBSITE WITH COMMUNITY CALENDARS. LISTENERS WORLDWIDE CAN TUNE IN VIA ONLINE STREAMING. IN 2024, RADIO MILWAUKEE CONTINUED ITS PROGRAMMING OF NATIONALLY SYNDICATED SHOWS LIKE ALT LATINO, ALL SONGS CONSIDERED, JAZZ NIGHT IN AMERICA, AND WORLD CAFE, ALONGSIDE NEW LOCAL SEGMENTS AND PROGRAMS.

    Expenses $1,932,722 · Revenue $1,611,124

  • IN JUNE 2022, RADIO MILWAUKEE LAUNCHED ITS LATEST CHANNEL, "HYFIN." THIS BLACK-LED, DIGITAL-FIRST MEDIA INITIATIVE AIMS TO CONNECT CULTURES AND CELEBRATE THE FULL RANGE OF BLACK MUSIC. AS MILWAUKEE'S ONLY URBAN ALTERNATIVE RADIO STATION, HYFIN OFFERS A DIVERSE ARRAY OF BLACK MUSIC BEYOND JUST R&B AND HIP-HOP, WHILE ALSO FEATURING LOCAL MILWAUKEE ARTISTS. THE CHANNEL KEEPS AUDIENCES INFORMED WITH THE LATEST NEWS ON BLACK CULTURE, PODCASTS, AND MORE. HYFIN BROADCASTS ON-AIR AT 88.9FM HD2, ONLINE AT HYFIN.ORG, AND THROUGH THE 88NINE AND HYFIN MOBILE APPS. FUNDING COMES FROM GENEROUS DONATIONS BY CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS, INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTERS, AND SPONSORSHIPS. IN 2024, HYFIN, POWERED BY RADIO MILWAUKEE, ORGANIZED A DIVERSE ARRAY OF COMMUNITY-FOCUSED EVENTS, SHOWCASING THEIR COMMITMENT TO CELEBRATING BLACK CULTURE AND SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES. A STANDOUT EVENT WAS THE BLACKITY BLACK HOLIDAY MARKET. THIS SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY INITIATIVE FEATURED BLACK-OWNED VENDORS FROM THE MILWAUKEE AREA, OFFERING ATTENDEES A CHANCE TO SUPPORT LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS WHILE ENJOYING YOUTH PERFORMANCES, FOOD, AND MUSIC CURATED BY HYFIN DJS. HYFIN CONTINUED ITS MAJOR FUNDRAISER GALA, DEMONSTRATING THE STATION'S GROWTH AND COMMUNITY IMPACT. THROUGHUT THE YEAR, THEY CONTINUED TO ENGAGE AUDIENCES WITH THEIR "LATEST & GREATEST LIVE" SERIES, FEATURING LOCAL AND EMERGING ARTISTS. THESE EVENTS UNDERSCORE HYFIN'S ROLE AS A CULTURAL HUB, FOSTERING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AND AMPLIFYING BLACK VOICES IN MILWAUKEE'S VIBRANT ARTS AND BUSINESS SCENES.

    Expenses $266,087 · Revenue $512,978

  • RADIO MILWAUKEE PRODUCES AND AIRS SHORT STORIES AND PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT HIGHLIGHT NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS DEDICATED TO ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN MILWAUKEE. EACH STORY, ROUGHLY THE LENGTH OF A SONG, IS BROADCAST DAILY AS PART OF THE MUSIC MIX AND ALSO AVAILABLE IN A LONGER PODCAST FORMAT ON THE RADIOMILWAUKEE.ORG WEBSITE. LISTENERS CAN VISIT THE SITE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FEATURED ORGANIZATIONS AND ACCESS LINKS TO THEIR WEBSITES FOR INVOLVEMENT, CONTRIBUTIONS, OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. IN 2024, RADIO MILWAUKEE SHOWCASED OVER 170 INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS, FOCUSING ON THEMES SUCH AS VOLUNTEERISM, ARTS AND CULTURE, NEIGHBORHOODS, YOUTH, THE ENVIRONMENT, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND NARRATIVES FROM UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.

    Expenses $231,608

  • IN 2018, RADIO MILWAUKEE LAUNCHED AN INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO ENHANCE ITS SUPPORT FOR THE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE. INITIALLY CALLED "BACKLINE AND REBRANDED AS "AMPLIFIER" IN 2021, THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO CULTIVATE THE GROWTH OF MILWAUKEE'S MUSIC LANDSCAPE AND ATTRACT EMERGING TALENT TO THE CITY. AMPLIFIER ORIGINALLY BEGAN BY PROVIDING INTENSIVE, YEAR-LONG CAREER GUIDANCE TO FOUR INDEPENDENT ARTISTS. HOWEVER, THE PROGRAM HAS SINCE TRANSITIONED INTO A COMMUNITY-BASED MODEL TO BROADEN ITS REACH AND IMPACT.WITH THE PROGRAM'S EVOLUTION, AMPLIFIER NOW INCLUDES AN ONGOING "MASTER CLASS" SERIES, CONNECTING MILWAUKEE ARTISTS, MANAGERS, SONGWRITERS, AND PRODUCERS TO FOSTER COLLABORATION AND EDUCATION. THE SERIES STRENGTHENS TIES WITHIN THE MUSIC COMMUNITY BY OFFERING SESSIONS ON ESSENTIAL TOPICS SUCH AS BUILDING BUSINESS CREDIT, PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES, SONGWRITING, MENTAL WELLNESS, NEGOTIATION SKILLS, AND LIVE PERFORMANCE STRATEGIES. THESE SESSIONS ARE RECORDED AND ARCHIVED, CONTRIBUTING TO A PERMANENT CONTENT LIBRARY SHARED ACROSS VARIOUS PLATFORMS. IN ITS HISTORY, THE PROGRAM HAS GENERATED OVER 110,000 VIEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, 14,000 PODCAST DOWNLOADS, AND ATTRACTED 400 IN-PERSON PARTICIPANTS. AMPLIFIER'S MASTER CLASSES RUN MONTHLY FROM MARCH TO OCTOBER, PROVIDING ARTISTS WITH INVALUABLE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN FROM TOP INDUSTRY EXPERTS, ENHANCING BOTH THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.

    Expenses $89,544 · Revenue $1,869

  • GRACE WEBER'S MUSIC LAB IS A FREE MONTHLY MUSIC AND ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR GREATER MILWAUKEE AREA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. IN THIS PROGRAM, STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRIES THROUGH FEATURED GUESTS FROM THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. STUDENTS ARE ALSO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE, PERFORM, AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR PEERS. THE PROGRAM TAKES PLACE THE LAST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR IN THE RADIO MILWAUKEE PERFORMANCE SPACE. THE SESSIONS INVOLVE A PERFORMANCE AND INTERVIEW WITH THE FEATURED GUEST, AS WELL AS A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD WITH STUDENT INQUIRIES. AFTERWARDS, THE PARTICIPATING STUDENTS MAY PERFORM IN AN OPEN MIC ATMOSPHERE WHERE CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK AND OBSERVATIONS BY THE FEATURED GUEST AND RADIO MILWAUKEE'S MUSIC EDUCATION COORDINATOR ARE OFFERED. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A SAFE SPACE FOR STUDENT ARTISTS TO CREATE, BE HEARD, AND FEEL VALUED. IN 2024, 291 STUDENTS THROUGHOUT MILWAUKEE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM.

    Expenses $62,936 · Revenue $73,332

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • ROSS WILLIAMS

    BOARD CHAIR (PRESIDENT)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • ERIC BLASHKA

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • DARRELL DJ HINES II

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • JOSH ADAMS

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • MARLA BRONAUGH

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • ERICKAJOY DANIELS

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • MICHAEL DEMICHELE

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • LAUREN FEASTER

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • PATRICK GUARASCI

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • SEBASTIAN MEI

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • AL ORR

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • LACEY SADOFF

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • MALIKA SIKER

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • MAXIE JACKSON III

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $173,000
    From this org
    $172,166
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $834
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $164,166
    Bonus
    $8,000
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $834
    Filer's total
    $173,000

  • LEANA HENDERKOTT

    FINANCE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $95,481
    From this org
    $91,870
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $3,611
    Hours/week
    40

  • JORDAN LEE

    SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING

    Total calculated
    $115,000
    From this org
    $102,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $13,000
    Hours/week
    40

  • KRIS DEFELICE

    MAJOR GIVING MANAGER

    Total calculated
    $110,525
    From this org
    $107,668
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $2,857
    Hours/week
    40

  • JEREMY ZULEGER

    DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS

    Total calculated
    $105,777
    From this org
    $103,153
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $2,624
    Hours/week
    40

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

PART I, LINE 5
THE DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS RECEIVED COMMISSIONS OF $23,469 BASED ON UNDERWRITING REVENUE.
PART I, LINE 7
SCHEDULE J, PART II, COLUMN (B)(II) REPORTS DISCRETIONARY INCENTIVE AMOUNTS THAT WERE APPROVED BY THE BOARD BASED UPON PERFORMANCE.

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Taxable family on this return

Schedule R Parts I, III and IV, as filed. These record ownership and control, not shared board members or money moved.

Disregarded entities

Part I: entities that legally are the filer and file no return of their own.

  • SOUND FOUNDATION LLC

    REAL ESTATE HOLDING · WI · income $0 · assets $0

    Directly controlled by RADIO MILWAUKEE INC

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
21 October 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.2
Source object
202533009349300633

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