NPR facts for kids
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| Type | Public radio network |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| First air date | April 20, 1971 |
| Availability | Global |
| Founded | February 26, 1970 |
| Endowment |  $322.7 million (2022) |
| Revenue | $309.1 million (2022) |
| Net income | $−7.18 million (2022) |
| Headquarters |
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| Broadcast area |
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| Parent | National Public Radio, Inc. |
| Key people | Katherine Maher (CEO) |
| Former names |
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| Affiliation | WRN Broadcast |
National Public Radio (NPR) is an American non-profit media group. It is based in Washington, D.C., and also has a main office in Culver City, California. NPR helps share radio programs with over 1,000 public radio stations across the United States.
NPR gets its money from different places. This includes fees paid by its member radio stations, support from companies, and yearly grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Most of its member stations are owned by non-profit groups, like schools and universities. NPR makes its own content and is not controlled by the government or any company.
NPR creates and shares both news and cultural shows. Its most famous news programs are Morning Edition and All Things Considered. These shows are very popular and are heard by millions of people each week.
NPR also runs the Public Radio Satellite System. This system helps send NPR's programs and other shows from different producers to radio stations. You can also listen to NPR shows online, on phones, and as podcasts. Some NPR stations also play programs from the BBC World Service.
Contents
What is NPR's Name?
The official name of the group is National Public Radio. But most people know it as NPR. In 2010, the organization decided to use "NPR" more often on air and online. This is because "NPR" is what most listeners call it. However, National Public Radio is still its legal name since 1970.
How Did NPR Start?
The Early Years (1970s)
NPR began on February 26, 1970. It took the place of the National Educational Radio Network. This happened after the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 was passed by Congress. This law also created the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) for TV.
Donald Quayle became NPR's first president. He started with 30 employees and 90 local radio stations. NPR's first show aired on April 20, 1971. It covered important hearings about the Vietnam War. The popular afternoon news show All Things Considered started on May 3, 1971. Later, Morning Edition began on November 5, 1979.
Challenges and Growth (1980s-1990s)
In 1983, NPR faced a big money problem. It had a debt of almost $7 million. To help, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting lent NPR money. In return, NPR agreed to change how it got funding. Instead of getting money directly, local stations would pay NPR for its programs. NPR paid off its debt in about three years.
In the 1990s, new leaders like Delano Lewis and Kevin Klose helped NPR grow.
The 2000s and Beyond
In 2002, NPR opened a new production center called NPR West in Culver City, California. This helped them make more shows and cover the western United States better. It also served as a backup if something happened at their Washington, D.C. office.
In 2003, NPR received a huge gift of $235 million from Joan B. Kroc. This money helped NPR expand its news team and lower fees for some member stations.
NPR started offering podcasts in 2005. By 2015, NPR podcasts were downloaded millions of times. Shows like Fresh Air became very popular.
In 2008, NPR had to cut some jobs and cancel shows like Day to Day. This was because of a big drop in money from sponsors during an economic crisis. Despite this, NPR's audience grew to a record 27.5 million people weekly.
In 2013, NPR moved to a new headquarters in Washington, D.C. They also canceled their weekday call-in show Talk of the Nation. In 2018, NPR started using new technology called Remote Audio Data (RAD). This helps them understand how people listen to podcasts while keeping their privacy safe.
More recently, in 2022 and 2023, NPR announced plans to reduce spending and lay off some staff. This was due to lower income from sponsors. In 2024, Katherine Maher became NPR's new CEO.
How is NPR Governed?
NPR is a membership organization. This means that its member radio stations help run it. Each member station gets one vote at NPR's yearly meetings.
A board of directors helps manage NPR's daily work and budget. This board includes managers from NPR member stations, public members, and NPR's CEO. They work together to make sure NPR follows its goals.
NPR's main goals include:
- Making high-quality daily news programs.
- Covering public events and important ideas.
- Creating cultural programs for stations to use.
- Working with member stations to develop new shows.
- Sharing programs with broadcasters in other countries.
- Improving radio technology and art.
NPR Public Editor
The Public Editor listens to comments and questions from listeners. This person helps make sure NPR is fair and open. Kelly McBride became the Public Editor for NPR in 2020.
Who Has Led NPR?
Here is a list of the people who have been president or CEO of NPR:
- Donald Quayle (1970–1973)
- Lee Frischknecht (1973–1977)
- Frank Mankiewicz (1977–1983)
- Douglas J. Bennet (1983–1993)
- Delano Lewis (1993–1998)
- Kevin Klose (1998–2008)
- Vivian Schiller (2009–2011)
- Gary Knell (2011–2013)
- Paul Haaga (2013–2014)
- Jarl Mohn (2014–2019)
- John F. Lansing (2019–2024)
- Katherine Maher (2024-present)
How Does NPR Get Money?
In 2020, NPR expected to have about $250 million in income. This was a bit less than the year before because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funding Sources
In the past, much of NPR's money came from the government. But after a money crisis in 1983, NPR changed how it gets funds.
Today, NPR gets money from:
- Fees from its member stations for programs.
- Grants from foundations and businesses.
- Donations and sponsorships.
Member stations get their money from listener donations, company support, and government grants. NPR also gets a small amount of money from competitive grants. This funding is less than 1% of its total income.
In 2011, NPR started its own online advertising network. This helps member stations get more money from national sponsors.
Sponsor Messages vs. Commercials
NPR radio shows do not have regular commercials like other stations. Instead, they have short messages from sponsors. These are called underwriting spots. They can mention a company's name or website. But they cannot directly tell you to buy a product. This is different from regular commercials.
Who Listens to NPR?
In 2022, about 30.7 million people listened to NPR programs each week. This number has changed over the years but remains high.
Listener Demographics
In 2015, most NPR radio listeners (87%) were white. For podcasts, 67% were white. NPR listeners tend to be well-educated. Many have college degrees. The audience is almost evenly split between men and women. NPR listeners also tend to have higher incomes.
Surveys show that NPR listeners often lean towards the Democratic Party. They also tend to be politically moderate or liberal.
Trust in NPR
A survey in 2005 found that NPR was the most trusted news source in the United States. In 2014, a study showed that 55% of adults who knew about NPR trusted it. This was similar to the trust levels for other big news channels like CNN and NBC.
NPR Online and Apps
NPR has a strong presence in digital media. They use their website, npr.org, and social media like Twitter and Facebook. They also have a YouTube channel with news videos.
NPR One App
In 2014, NPR launched the NPR One app. This app makes it easy for listeners to stream local NPR stations live. It also helps them listen to NPR podcasts. The app is available on many devices, including phones, web browsers, and smart speakers. The New York Times called NPR One one of the "best apps" in 2016.
What Programs Does NPR Offer?
Programs Made by NPR
News Programs
NPR makes daily news shows for mornings and evenings. They also have weekend versions.
- All Things Considered: NPR's evening news show.
- Morning Edition: NPR's morning news show.
- Here and Now: A mid-day news program.
Storytelling and Cultural Shows
- TED Radio Hour: A show based on TED Talks.
- Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!: A funny news quiz show.
Popular Podcasts
NPR produces many popular podcasts on different topics:
- All Songs Considered: About music.
- Code Switch: About race and identity.
- Consider This: An afternoon news podcast.
- How I Built This: About entrepreneurs and their businesses.
- NPR Politics Podcast: About politics.
- Planet Money: About economics.
- Pop Culture Happy Hour: About pop culture.
- Short Wave: A daily science podcast.
- Throughline: A podcast about history.
- Up First: A morning news podcast.
Music Programs
- Jazz Night In America: About jazz music.
- The Thistle & Shamrock: Features Celtic music.
- Tiny Desk Concerts: A video series of live music performances.
NPR also helps share programs made by other groups.
News and Public Affairs
- 1A: A discussion show about public issues.
- Fresh Air: Interviews with famous people in culture and news.
- Latino USA: Focuses on Latino issues.
Storytelling and Cultural Shows
- Car Talk: A funny show about cars (ended in 2017).
- The Engines of Our Ingenuity: Short stories about human inventions.
- StoryCorps: Oral history recordings from real people.
Music Programs
- From the Top: Showcases young classical musicians.
- Mountain Stage: Features live music performances.
- World Cafe: A music program with recorded music and live performances.
Other Public Radio Programs
Many other great programs are on public radio stations but are not directly from NPR. They might be from other groups like American Public Media (APM) or Public Radio Exchange (PRX). Many public radio stations are members of NPR, APM, and PRX at the same time.
From American Public Media
- BBC World Service: World news from the BBC.
- Marketplace: Focuses on business and the economy.
- The Splendid Table: A weekly show about food.
From Public Radio Exchange
- A Way with Words: A show about language.
- Hearts of Space: A weekly show with calm, relaxing music.
- This American Life: Stories about real life.
- The World: A news show focusing on international news.
From WNYC Studios
- On the Media: Covers journalism and technology.
- Science Friday: A call-in show about science.
Independent Programs
- Democracy Now!: A news program that also provides content to NPR stations.
- StarDate: Short segments about science and astronomy.
- Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts: Full-length opera performances.
Images for kids
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NPR's former headquarters in Washington, D.C. (demolished in 2013)
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The new NPR headquarters at 1111 North Capitol Street, NE.
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Kinsey Wilson and the npr.org crew at the 69th Annual Peabody Awards
See also
In Spanish: NPR para niños
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation
- BBC Radio
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
- List of NPR personnel
- List of NPR stations
- Voice of America
