Report updated Apr 10, 2026
News 9 WAOW
For residents of Central Wisconsin, specifically the Wausau, Stevens Point, and Northwoods areas, who require timely local news, weather, and sports updates.
News 9 WAOW is an established news app that is completely free. With a 4.4/5 rating from 269 reviews, it shows polarized user reception.
What Is News 9 WAOW?
Which Momentum?
v3.1
Performance improvement and bug fixes.
Active Nemesis
7 News - WSAW
By Gray Television Group
Other Rivals
7-Day Rank Pulse 🇺🇸
No ranking data
Recent User Mood 🇺🇸
Gathering signals...
What makes this app unique?
What Are The Key Features?
Localized weather tracking, interactive radar, and severe weather alerts for the community
Dedicated coverage of Wisconsin sports including Badgers, Packers, Brewers, and local high school athletics
Access to live broadcast news and on-demand video content
Who is it for & how much does it cost?
Target Audience
Residents of Central Wisconsin, specifically the Wausau, Stevens Point, and Northwoods areas, who require timely local news, weather, and sports updates.
Pricing
Free- Free to download and use
The app serves as a digital extension of the broadcast station, monetized primarily through advertising and brand engagement rather than direct user subscriptions.
Who Built It?
Enrichment in progress
Publisher profile available very soon
What other apps does Allen Media Broadcasting make?
User Sentiment
iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps. Accuracy improves every day. For informational purposes only.Gathering public signals...
Sentiment analysis will be available soon
What is the competitive landscape for News 9 WAOW?
How's The News Market?
Market outlook for this category
Available very soon
News Market Trend
News market trend & dynamics
Available very soon
The rivals identified
The Nemesis
Head to Head
WSAW currently holds the edge in market penetration and user engagement metrics. WAOW's path to parity lies in doubling down on its 'Wisconsin Sports' differentiator and maintaining its high 4.38-star rating through superior local community storytelling.
What sets News 9 WAOW apart
- +
Superior regional sports focus, specifically highlighting local high school athletics and Badgers coverage
- +
9 StormTrack branding provides a distinct community-focused weather identity compared to generic 'First Alert' labels
What's 7 News - WSAW's Edge
- -
Higher volume of user ratings (approx. 2x) suggesting a larger active mobile install base
- -
Dual-network affiliation (CBS/FOX) provides a broader range of national news and sports tie-ins
Contenders
Hyper-focused on the Northwoods and Rhinelander sub-markets
Stronger emphasis on outdoor recreation and local tourism news
Peers
NewsBreak: Local News & Alerts
★4.8 (1349K)Particle Media Inc.
A dominant local news aggregator that pulls content from various Wisconsin sources, often acting as a gateway that keeps users away from direct station apps.
AI-driven feed that aggregates multiple local sources into one stream
High-frequency push notifications for community-level alerts
New Kids on the Block
Offline reading capabilities and 'SmartView' for fast loading
Highly personalized local news discovery that bypasses traditional TV station loyalty
The outtake for News 9 WAOW
SWOT Analysis
Core Strengths
- High iOS rating (4.38) indicating platform stability
- Strong regional sports focus (HS athletics + Pro)
- Distinctive '9 StormTrack' weather branding
Critical Frictions
- Lower install base/rating count compared to primary nemesis WSAW
- Recent updates limited to maintenance (bug fixes) rather than new features
- Basic personalization features compared to AI-driven competitors
Growth Levers
- Hyper-local expansion into Northwoods sub-markets
- Interactive community-driven sports reporting
- Leveraging high rating for aggressive user acquisition
Market Threats
- Aggregators (NewsBreak/SmartNews) cannibalizing direct traffic
- WSAW's dual-network (CBS/FOX) content advantage
- Gannett's (Wausau Daily Herald) depth in investigative reporting
What are the next best moves?
Prioritize High School Sports feature expansion
This is a cited differentiator in the feature analysis and a key area where WAOW can win against national aggregators like NewsBreak.
Launch a 'Rate Us' campaign to close the engagement gap
Nemesis WSAW has ~2x the rating volume; increasing WAOW's volume will improve App Store visibility and social proof.
Audit weather radar latency vs. WSAW's First Alert
Weather is the primary differentiator; any performance lag here directly threatens the '9 StormTrack' brand value.
Feature Gaps vs Competitors
- Dual-network content integration (CBS/FOX available in WSAW)
- Long-form investigative journalism (available in Wausau Daily Herald)
- AI-driven personalized news feed (available in NewsBreak and SmartNews)
- Offline reading capabilities (available in SmartNews)
Key Takeaways
WAOW is a technically stable, well-regarded local app that is currently in maintenance mode. To avoid being commoditized by aggregators, the PM must pivot from 'standard' news delivery to 'exclusive' community features, specifically by deepening the high school sports and hyper-local weather moats where competitors are generic.
Where Is It Heading?
Stable
v3.1 update (Oct 2025) focused only on performance/bug fixes — maintenance mode, not growth mode.
Maintains a high 4.38 rating — indicates strong core user satisfaction and reliability.