iHeartMedia in New Haven
KC101 & WELI Ads, from $30 a Spot.
KC101 has run New Haven's pop dial for generations, and WELI 960 carries its news talk. In a 444,900-person market, spots start around $30 off-peak and $50 in drive. Here is the whole math.
Country 92.5 pulls an 11 share in Hartford. Every rep knows it. Now you do too.
The Straight Answer
New Haven's pop station and its news voice, one rep. Here is the math.
iHeart's New Haven cluster pairs KC101 (WKCI, CHR, a 5.8 share in the Spring 2026 book) with WELI 960 news talk, covering the school run and the morning commute across greater New Haven and the shoreline.
New Haven prices well under Hartford for the same formats: the market is a third the size, and the spots cost it. For shoreline businesses, that is the whole arbitrage.
444,900 people live inside the New Haven radio market, where KC101 holds a 5.8 share of listening.
Source: Nielsen Audio, Fall 2025
The Rate Card
What iHeartMedia New Haven Actually Costs.
Independently researched starting costs, checked against published materials and market data.
| Buy | Starting Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Off-Peak Spot | from $30/spot | Middays and evenings on KC101 or WELI |
| Drive-Time Spot | from $50/spot | Morning and afternoon commute blocks |
| Weekly Schedule | from $250/wk | 15 to 20 spots across the cluster |
Last verified August 2026. Floors reflect published market rate data scaled to New Haven's smaller market; the combined Hartford and New Haven average runs about $279 a spot. Station political files at publicfiles.fcc.gov show real recent rates.
The Process
How Buying Works
Three steps from budget to live, in plain English.
Check the FCC Files
Look up WKCI and WELI at publicfiles.fcc.gov for actual recent rates by daypart before any rep conversation.
Price New Haven Against Hartford
Same formats, a third the market, meaningfully cheaper spots. If your customers live on the shoreline, don't pay Hartford rates.
Pick the Signal by the Customer
KC101 owns parents and the school run; WELI owns news loyalists. Families and retail go FM, trust services go AM.
Priced by Town
Where This Reaches.
Our town guides price iHeartMedia New Haven against every other option in the same market, so you can see what it beats and what beats it before you call anyone.
The Alternatives
Before You Buy, Compare.
We don’t sell for iHeartMedia New Haven and we don’t take a side: we tell you which option fits your towns and your budget.
WPLR 99.1
New Haven's rock station for more than 50 years, from $40 a spot. Compare Prices
WYBC 94.3
The market's #1 by share in Spring 2026, at 11.4. Compare Prices
iHeart AdBuilder
The same audiences self-serve, weekly budgets from $100. Compare Prices
Questions
iHeartMedia New Haven Questions, Answered Straight.
How much does advertising on KC101 cost?
Off-peak spots start around $30 and drive time around $50, with weekly schedules from about $250. New Haven's smaller market means the same formats cost meaningfully less than Hartford, against a combined market average of about $279 a spot.
Which stations does iHeart sell in New Haven?
KC101 (WKCI, CHR, a 5.8 share in Spring 2026) and WELI 960 news talk, plus sports on WAVZ, sold by one team and also reachable self-serve through iHeart's AdBuilder from about $100 a week.
Who listens to KC101?
Greater New Haven's pop audience: parents, students and the school-run commute, a habit running for generations. Retail, dining, family services and events fit naturally; WELI covers the older, news-driven side of the same households.
New Haven or Hartford radio: which should I buy?
Buy where your customers live. New Haven delivers the shoreline at lower rates; Hartford delivers triple the market for more money. Businesses serving both usually start with the market their trucks actually roll in.
Also Asked
How much does radio advertising cost in Connecticut?
Off-peak spots start around $25 in Danbury, $30 in New Haven and $40 in Hartford, with drive time costing considerably more. Weekly schedules generally begin near $200. Production is usually included free by the station. Radio rates
Is radio advertising still effective?
Yes, where frequency is affordable. Radio still reaches most American adults weekly, and in Connecticut's smaller markets $500 a month buys enough spots to be remembered. In Hartford the same money buys too few spots to register. Radio rates
How many radio markets does Connecticut have?
Three rated ones: Hartford at number 57, New Haven at 123, and Metro Fairfield County at 73, which Nielsen created in 2020 by merging the old Bridgeport and Stamford-Norwalk markets. Danbury and New London are rated separately and smaller. Radio rates by station
Stop Guessing. Price Your Airtime.
Tell us your budget and your towns, and we'll come back with per-station New Haven numbers against the rest of the dial, free, in one business day.
Price My AirtimeTakes 2 minutes · Free · Real rates in writing
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Get On the Air.
Tell us the basics. We'll match your budget to the stations and dayparts that actually reach your customers. Here's what you get:
- The exact stations and spot counts for your budget
- Real airtime rates for your towns, in writing
- The right two stations, not the whole dial
Takes 2 minutes. Free. Real rates in writing.
Rate sources: FCC public inspection files, political rates (publicfiles.fcc.gov); Nielsen Audio, New Haven, Spring 2026; Published radio market rate data. Last verified August 2026.
AdvertisingCT.com is an independent guide for Connecticut advertisers. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of iHeartMedia New Haven, and all names and trademarks belong to their owners. Rates shown are independently researched estimates of typical starting costs as of August 2026, drawn from published rate materials, public filings, market data and advertiser reports. They are not offers or quotes. Actual pricing is set solely by the vendor and varies by availability, season, placement and negotiation. Spot an outdated number? Tell us and we’ll verify it.