Seven years ago, we moved the station to its current home in the renovated historic Hajoca Building at 3025 Walnut Street at the gateway to University City. To get here, we launched our first capital campaign in 2003 and successfully met our $4 million goal. The location was perfect for our partnership with World Cafe Live, allowing us to create a true clubhouse for music lovers.

This move has paid off significantly for our members and the artists. We have developed numerous initiatives and created richer programming, award-winning on air shows, exclusive live concerts, exciting regional expansion and strong partnerships with a positive impact on the community. None of this could have been possible without the generous support of our members and donors. You trusted us to invest wisely and, by doing so, we have become a leader in noncommercial radio.

Check out the return on your investment...

The Building

• The $4 million capital campaign resulted in the move to the state-of-the-art studio and office space we now call home. We built five studios, upgraded the existing structure, and consolidated the work space so all staff is in one building.
• This facility enabled us to create the Free At Noon concert series. In partnership with World Cafe Live and local corporate support, we produce free concerts every Friday, bringing audiences together to see live performances by great musicians. These concerts are also broadcast live on-air, on our website, NPR.org, as well as other public radio station sites.
• More than 100 students work in various capacities. Members of our staff teach an undergraduate writing course that satisfies Penn’s writing requirement. The students produce pieces that are then aired on WXPN. We also annually host Wharton MBA Candidate independent study projects.

Programming

Expansion of XPN Local

• The new facility and partnership with World Cafe Live has created a clubhouse for the local music scene and artists.
• Helen Leicht’s stewardship of XPN Local has provided increased airtime, promotional support, and festival presence for local artists.
• Geographic expansion of "Philly Local" to "XPN Local" added support of Central Pennsylvania artists as part of signal expansion.

Live Performances

• We created our signature Free At Noon live Friday concert series at World Cafe Live.
• Since 1991, World Cafe has emerged as the premier public radio showcase for contemporary music in a format that includes live performances and intimate interviews
• In 2006, World Cafe was awarded the prestigious ASCAP Deems Taylor Radio Broadcast Award in Recognition of Musical Excellence

Summer Music Festival Expansion

The XPoNential Music Festival has grown from a small concert to a true festival. It features more than 40 artists on two major stages and a Kids Corner stage. There are food vendors, an arts and crafts marketplace, and a Village Green featuring eco-friendly vendors. More than 17,000 people attended the 2009 Festival on the Camden Riverfront.

NPR Partnership

• We are the leading station in a strategic partnership with NPR Music and other music stations for collaborative website, reaching new audiences and acquiring new revenue.
• We moved distribution of World Cafe to NPR, and now reaches 200 stations.

XPoNential Radio

XPoNential Radio provides digital HD plug & play service to stations around the country through NPR satellite distribution, and is also available online.

Kids Corner Website

• There is now increased web-based Kids Corner program content at kidscorner.org.
• The website is an integral component of the programming that provides interactive entertainment and learning opportunities for the audience.
• Users have access to digital archives, a music database, quizzes, podcasts, videos and much more.

Watch NBC 10 coverage of the
Musicians On Call program.

Community Engagement

Musicians On Call

• In 2004, we partnered with the New York-based non-profit Musicians On Call organization to provide bedside performances by volunteer musicians in hospitals throughout the Delaware Valley region.
• Since 2004, Musicians On Call has made a difference in the lives of more than 30,000 patients and their families
• Participating hospitals include The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden, Philadelphia VA Medical Center, and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children.

XPN Local artist Matt Duke performing at the unveiling of a WXPN-Mural Arts Program collaboration.

Mural Arts Program

• We have had a prolific partnership with the Mural Arts Program since 2004, creating the Sounds of Philadelphia mural series.
• The collaboration was designed to celebrate Philadelphia’s rich music legacy.
• Seven murals have been placed in neighborhoods all throughout the city.

Technology & Equipment

• Listeners with HD radios can access a cleaner, stronger signal on our digital channels. In Philadelphia, we are broadcast at 88.5 HD1; XPN2 is at 88.5 HD2. In Central Pennsylvania, find us at 88.7 HD1 and XPN2 at 88.7 HD2.
• Our 2008 Subaru Tribeca station-owned vehicle wrapped in logos provides a presence wherever we drive.
• Twenty-two new computers purchased in 2007 are used in Fund Drives to better protect sensitive credit card information of our members and limit our liability for any fraud, while allowing us to process calls more efficiently.
• In recent years we have upgraded the bandwidth, greatly improving the quality of the streams, improving the sound, listener enjoyment and usage, and allowing nearly unlimited capacity.

• By investing $20,000 in new servers for the website, we can handle more simultaneous users with no interruption in service.
• We spent $10,000 for new streaming audio servers enabling more live streaming content.

• Video. With a $10,000 investment, we have increased our capacity to present video content of live performances and music videos on the website. Roger LaMay’s video blog Radio Video, is the General Manager’s take on all things XPN. Whether live interviews with musicians after a show, conversations with members at the annual Halloween party, or behind-the-scenes at the XPoNential Music Festival or the South by Southwest festival in Austin, TX, fans can see it posted on our website once or twice a month, or search through more than 30 archived segments.
• Program Assisted Data (PAD). Investment in PAD technology allows us to have up-to-the-minute data scroll on the website ("Now Playing") and XPN2, and allows our listeners to purchase most of the songs we play via one click on the playlist.

I see a gift to XPN as an investment — one that will pay the whole community high dividends in great music and artistry.

— Ted Aronson, Campaign Co-Chair

Strategic Investments

Expansion to Central Pennsylvania

• In 2007, we made the strategic decision to acquire a Central Pennsylvania broadcasting license and station, WXPH, doubling our geographic reach.
• In the first year of expanded service to Central PA, membership dollars from that region grew by 63%. Since launching the expanded service, we have gained over 1,700 new members from that area.
• We received $150,000 in regional business support.
• This investment – as it brings us new members and business support – is projected to pay for itself in 7 to 10 years.

XPN2 – indie. modern. alt. rock.

In 2006, WXPN created an online music stream that offers a deeper exploration of the indie side of XPN’s playlist. The service was subsequently launched as the station’s secondary HD channel and available at 88.5-2 (Philadelphia) and 88.7-2 (Lancaster/York). Rebranded as XPN2 in June of 2011, the service enables the station to connect with a younger audience as it embraces new technology to help fans connect with music.

NON-COMMvention

• Public radio’s premier musical discovery showcase is now an annual event and the property of WXPN.
• The convention consists of working meetings for those in the noncommercial radio industry on such topics as new media, marketing, programming and fundraising. A feature of the weekend is the music showcases that present the most promising artists.
• Bringing together noncommercial radio programmers and managers, artists and the music industry, the convention cements our place at the forefront of Non-Comm Music Radio. This investment pays for itself.