In a pivotal deal, NPR announced that its entire podcast catalog is now available on Spotify for the first time. All shows from the public media outlet, both familiar favorites and new titles, will have a home on the streaming audio service. The arrangement brings the world’s largest podcast publisher into one of the largest podcast distribution platforms. Continue Reading
NPR, WNYC Studios, WBEZ Chicago, and This American Life have joined forces to acquire podcasting app Pocket Casts. Owen Grover, formerly executive vice president and general manager of iHeartRadio, will join Pocket Casts as its new CEO. Continue Reading
Joel Sucherman has been promoted to the newly created role of Vice President, New Platform Partnerships at NPR. For nearly 10 years Sucherman developed the network’s digital portfolio as Senior Director, Digital Products. Continue Reading
The NPR family has lost one of its icons. Carl Kasell passed away at age 84 from complications related to Alzheimer’s disease. Kasell spent much of his life working in radio and broadcasting, and he joined NPR in 1975. Continue Reading
NPR has shared its latest broadcast and digital ratings, with the broadcaster reaching its highest results to date. In the Nielsen Audio Fall 2017 ratings, NPR had 37.7 million total weekly listeners for all programming on its stations. Continue Reading
NPR has updated its Smart Audio Report with a post-holiday survey conducted by Edison Research. The headline result is that 16% of American adults (about 39-million people) now own a smart speaker. Smart speaker adoption is growing at the pace of smartphones several years ago. AM/FM radio listening is being replaced at a greater rate than any other activity. Continue Reading
NPR Music has hired Lauren Onkey as its new senior director. In this role, Onkey will collaborate with local member stations, the sponsorships team, and the events team. She will also work closely with NPR Music’s journalists, critics, video team, and podcasters in this capacity. Continue Reading
NPR reaches an audience of at least 99 million people every month across all its platforms, both broadcast and digital. The cross-platform estimate is based on the monthly broadcast cume, visitors to NPR.org, and podcast users. Continue Reading
NPR and Edison Research have released the second part of their study on smart speakers and voice control. The first part was released during RAIN’s Podcast Business Summit in New York this June. The latest presentation of The Smart Audio Report focused on the specific activities and details of how and why people are using this new product segment. Continue Reading
The breakthrough research report on smart speakers, The Smart Audio Report from NPR and Edison Research, is released today after the free webinar presentation yesterday. The research was originally presented at the RAIN Podcast Business Summit on June 21, of which NPR was the presenting sponsor. Continue Reading
The Smart Audio Report from NPR and Edison Research, which had its world release at yesterday’s RAIN Podcast Business Summit, revealed that the voice-activated devices (e.g. Amazon Echo/Dot and Google Home) encourage audio listening, music service subscription, and have become extremely valued additions to their owners’ lifestyles in sometimes surprising ways. Continue Reading
Guest columnist Larry Rosin announces a new research project: The Smart Audio Report from NPR and Edison Research, which will debut at the RAIN Podcast Business Summit next week, June 21 at the AXA Auditorium in Manhattan. The half-day 9am-1pm event will feature Edison Research VP Tom Webster presenting never-before-seen survey data and video. Continue Reading