WPLR in New Haven
WPLR 99.1 Ads, from $40 a Spot.
Fifty-plus years of New Haven rock builds the kind of loyalty money can't rush: the same listeners, morning show and bumper stickers for decades. Spots start around $40 off-peak, $60 in drive. Here is the math.
Country 92.5 pulls an 11 share in Hartford. Every rep knows it. Now you do too.
The Straight Answer
Fifty years of shoreline rock loyalty, for sale by the spot.
WPLR has been the shoreline's rock station since the early seventies and still holds a 5.8 share in the Spring 2026 New Haven book, tied for second in the market, with one of the most rusted-on audiences in Connecticut radio.
That audience is male, 30 to 60, employed in and around the trades, and loyal to the hosts. Contractors advertising to contractors is the classic WPLR play, and live reads are its sharpest weapon.
50+ years of rock on 99.1: WPLR has held the format since the early 1970s, with a 5.8 share in Spring 2026.
Source: Station history / Nielsen Audio, Spring 2026
The Rate Card
What WPLR 99.1 Actually Costs.
Independently researched starting costs, checked against published materials and market data.
| Buy | Starting Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Off-Peak Spot | from $40/spot | Middays and evenings on the rock leader |
| Drive-Time Spot | from $60/spot | Morning show and afternoon commute blocks |
| Live Read | from $100/spot | The hosts say your name in their own words |
Last verified August 2026. Floors reflect published New Haven market rate data; the combined Hartford and New Haven average runs about $279 a spot. WPLR's political file at publicfiles.fcc.gov shows real recent rates by daypart.
The Process
How Buying Works
Three steps from budget to live, in plain English.
Check WPLR's FCC File
The political file at publicfiles.fcc.gov lists actual recent rates by daypart, your baseline before the rep call.
Buy the Morning Show
Rock loyalty concentrates around hosts. Morning drive plus a live read beats twice the spots scattered through the day.
Talk Like the Audience
Plainspoken, funny, zero corporate polish. WPLR listeners reward ads that sound like the station and skip ones that don't.
Priced by Town
Where This Reaches.
Our town guides price WPLR 99.1 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 WPLR 99.1 and we don’t take a side: we tell you which option fits your towns and your budget.
WYBC 94.3
New Haven's #1 by share in Spring 2026, at 11.4. Compare Prices
KC101 & WELI
The pop and news side of the same market, from $30 a spot. Compare Prices
Connoisseur Fairfield
The same owner's Gold Coast stations: Star 99.9, WEBE, WICC. Compare Prices
Questions
WPLR 99.1 Questions, Answered Straight.
How much does advertising on WPLR cost?
Off-peak spots start around $40, drive time around $60, and host live reads from about $100 a spot. New Haven rates run well under Hartford's, against a combined market average of about $279 a spot.
Who listens to WPLR?
The shoreline's rock loyalists: heavily male, 30 to 60, tradespeople, homeowners and concert-goers who have kept the same preset for decades. A 5.8 share in Spring 2026 keeps it tied near the top of the market.
What makes WPLR live reads work?
Fifty years of host trust. When a WPLR voice vouches for a roofer or a dealership in their own words, it lands like a friend's recommendation, which is why live reads here outpull produced spots for local businesses.
Who owns WPLR?
Connoisseur Media, which also runs the Fairfield County stations (Star 99.9, WEBE 108, WICC 600). One rep can package the rock audience in New Haven with the Gold Coast signals if your service area spans both.
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 WPLR numbers against the rest of the dial, per spot and per thousand, free, in one business day.
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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 WPLR 99.1, 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.