NPR

The organization's legal name is National Public Radio and its trademarked brand is NPR; it is known by both names.{{cite web |first=Dana |last=Davis Rehm |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/inside/2010/07/12/128475395/npr-what-s-in-a-name |title=NPR:What's In A Name? |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200827033605/https://www.npr.org/sections/inside/2010/07/12/128475395/npr-what-s-in-a-name |archive-date=August 27, 2020 |publisher=NPR |date=July 12, 2012}} In June 2010, the organization announced that it was "making a conscious effort to consistently refer to ourselves as NPR on-air and online" because NPR is the common name for the organization and its radio hosts have used the tag line "This ... is NPR" for many years. National Public Radio remains the legal name of the group, however, as it has been since 1970.

File:NPR 1970s logo.jpg

NPR replaced the National Educational Radio Network on February 26, 1970, following Congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967.{{cite book |last=Jarvik |first=Laurence Ariel |date=1997 |title=PBS, behind the screen |location=Rocklin, CA |publisher=Forum |isbn=978-0761506683 }} This act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, and established the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which also created the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) for television in addition to NPR. A CPB organizing committee under John Witherspoon first created a board of directors chaired by Bernard Mayes.

The board then hired Donald Quayle to be the first president of NPR with 30 employees and 90 charter member local stations, and studios in Washington, D.C.{{cite web |url= https://www.npr.org/about/aboutnpr/history.html#history |title= History |publisher= NPR |access-date= February 24, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110222185012/http://www.npr.org/about/aboutnpr/history.html#history |archive-date= February 22, 2011 |url-status= dead |df= mdy-all }}

NPR aired its first broadcast on April 20, 1971, covering United States Senate hearings on the ongoing Vietnam War in Southeast Asia. The afternoon drive-time newscast All Things Considered premiered on May 3, 1971, first hosted by Robert Conley. NPR was primarily a production and distribution organization until 1977, when it merged with the Association of Public Radio Stations. Morning Edition premiered on November 5, 1979, first hosted by Bob Edwards.

NPR suffered an almost fatal setback in 1983 when efforts to expand services created a deficit of nearly $7 million (equivalent to $19 million in 2022 dollars). After a Congressional investigation and the resignation of NPR's then-president Frank Mankiewicz, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting agreed to lend the network money in order to stave off bankruptcy.{{cite web | url=http://www.current.org/pbpb/documents/GAOonNPR84.html | title=GAO statement on NPR financial crisis, 1984 | publisher=Public Broadcasting PolicyBase at Current.org | year=1984 | access-date=June 12, 2007 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070903205828/http://www.current.org/pbpb/documents/GAOonNPR84.html | archive-date=September 3, 2007 | df=mdy-all }} In exchange, NPR agreed to a new arrangement whereby the annual CPB stipend that it had previously received directly would be divided among local stations instead; in turn, those stations would support NPR productions on a subscription basis. NPR also agreed to turn its satellite service into a cooperative venture (the Public Radio Satellite System), making it possible for non-NPR shows to get national distribution. It took NPR approximately three years to pay off the debt.{{cite web | url= http://www.current.org/history/timeline/timeline-1980s.shtml#1986 | title= History of public broadcasting in the United States | publisher= Current.org | access-date= June 12, 2007 | url-status= dead | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070914013054/http://www.current.org/history/timeline/timeline-1980s.shtml#1986 | archive-date= September 14, 2007 | df= mdy-all }}

File:NPRLogoOld.png

Delano Lewis, the president of C&P Telephone, left that position to become NPR's CEO and president in January 1994.{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/about/press/980403.del.html |title=Delano Lewis Resigns |date=April 3, 1998 |publisher=NPR |access-date=February 16, 2012 |archive-date=March 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308083047/http://www.npr.org/about/press/980403.del.html |url-status=live }} Lewis resigned in August 1998. In November 1998, NPR's board of directors hired Kevin Klose, the director of the International Broadcasting Bureau, as its president and chief executive officer.{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/about/press/981111.klose.html |title=NPR Announces New President and CEO |publisher=NPR |date=November 11, 1998 |access-date=February 16, 2012 |archive-date=March 16, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316214235/https://www.npr.org/about/press/981111.klose.html |url-status=live }}

{{quote box|align=right|width=33%|quote = September 11th attacks made it apparent in a very urgent way that we need another facility that could keep NPR going if something devastating happens in Washington.|author=Jay Kernis, NPR's senior VP for programming}}

NPR spent nearly $13 million to acquire and equip a West Coast {{convert|25000|sqft|adj=on}} production facility, NPR West, which opened in Culver City, Los Angeles County, California, in November 2002. With room for up to 90 employees, it was established to expand its production capabilities, improve its coverage of the western United States, and create a backup production facility capable of keeping NPR on the air in the event of a catastrophe in Washington, D.C.{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/about/press/021016.nprwest.html |title=NPR Establishes Major Production Center in California NPR West Opens November 2, Expanding Network's Presence and Reach |publisher=NPR |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107232455/https://www.npr.org/about/press/021016.nprwest.html|archive-date=January 7, 2019|date=November 2, 2002 |access-date=February 16, 2012}}

In November 2003, NPR received $235 million from the estate of the late Joan B. Kroc, the widow of Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald's Corporation. This was the largest monetary gift ever to a cultural institution.{{cite news |title=Billions and Billions Served, Hundreds of Millions Donated |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E04EFD81439F934A35752C1A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all |quote=National Public Radio announced yesterday that it had received a bequest worth at least $200 million from the widow of the longtime chairman of the McDonald's restaurant chain. The gift is the largest in the 33-year history of NPR, the nonprofit broadcasting corporation – and about twice the size of NPR's annual operating budget. It is considered among the largest ever pledged to an American cultural institution. |work=The New York Times |date=November 7, 2003 |access-date=July 28, 2008 |first1=Jacques |last1=Steinberg |archive-date=December 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081220155323/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E04EFD81439F934A35752C1A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all |url-status=live }}{{cite press release | url=https://www.npr.org/about/press/031106.kroc.html | title=NPR Receives a Record Bequest of More Than $200 Million | publisher=National Public Radio | date=November 6, 2003 | access-date=October 2, 2006 | archive-date=December 2, 2003 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031202221832/https://www.npr.org/about/press/031106.kroc.html | url-status=live }}

In 2004, the Kroc gift increased NPR's budget by over 50% to $153 million. Of the money, $34 million was deposited in its endowment.{{cite news | url=http://www.current.org/npr/npr0409krocgift.shtml | title=Kroc gift lets NPR expand news, lower fees | date=May 24, 2004 | access-date=October 2, 2006 | last=Janssen | first=Mike | work=Current.org | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110322154055/http://www.current.org/npr/npr0409krocgift.shtml | archive-date=March 22, 2011 | df=mdy-all }} The endowment fund before the gift totaled $35 million. NPR will use the interest from the bequest to expand its news staff and reduce some member stations' fees. The 2005 budget was about $120 million.

In August 2005, NPR entered podcasting with a directory of over 170 programs created by NPR and member stations. Users downloaded NPR and other public radio podcasts 5 million times by November of that year. Ten years later, by March 2015, users downloaded podcasts produced only by NPR 94 million times,{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/npr-extra/2015/08/31/435603490/npr-podcasts-turn-10|title=NPR Podcasts Turn 10!|website=NPR|date=August 31, 2015|last1=Sanders|first1=Caitlin|access-date=September 4, 2021|archive-date=December 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206023739/https://www.npr.org/sections/npr-extra/2015/08/31/435603490/npr-podcasts-turn-10/|url-status=live}} and NPR podcasts like Fresh Air and the TED Radio Hour routinely made the iTunes Top Podcasts list.{{Cite web|url=http://www.itunescharts.net/us/charts/podcasts/|title=US Podcasts |website=iTunesCharts.net |access-date=October 21, 2015|archive-date=December 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204013108/http://www.itunescharts.net/us/charts/podcasts/|url-status=live}}

Ken Stern became chief executive in September 2006, reportedly as the "hand-picked successor" of CEO Kevin Klose, who gave up the job but remained as NPR's president; Stern had worked with Klose at Radio Free Europe.

On December 10, 2008, NPR announced that it would reduce its workforce by 7% and cancel the news programs Day to Day and News & Notes.{{Cite news

| last = Carney

| first = Steve

| title = National Public Radio to cut shows, personnel

| newspaper = Los Angeles Times

| date = December 10, 2008

| access-date = December 11, 2008

| url = http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2008/12/national-public.html

| archive-date = June 3, 2022

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220603221802/https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2008/12/national-public.html

| url-status = live

}} The organization indicated this was in response to a rapid drop in corporate underwriting in the wake of the economic crisis of 2008.

In the fall of 2008, NPR programming reached a record 27.5 million people weekly, according to Arbitron ratings figures. NPR stations reach 32.7 million listeners overall.{{cite press release |url=https://www.npr.org/about/press/2009/032409.AudienceRecord.html |title=NPR reaches new audience high |publisher=NPR |date=March 24, 2009 |access-date=August 24, 2010 |archive-date=November 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126201558/http://www.npr.org/about/press/2009/032409.AudienceRecord.html |url-status=live }}

In March 2008, the NPR Board announced that Stern would be stepping down from his role as chief executive officer, following conflict with NPR's board of directors "over the direction of the organization", including issues NPR's member station managers had had with NPR's expansion into new media "at the expense of serving" the stations that financially support NPR.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/06/AR2008030603473.html|title=NPR Leader Out After Board Clash|first=Paul|last=Farhi|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=March 6, 2008|access-date=September 5, 2017|archive-date=October 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019105446/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/06/AR2008030603473.html|url-status=live}}

As of 2009, corporate sponsorship comprised 26% of the NPR budget.

File:National Public Radio headquarters.jpg NW in Washington, D.C. (demolished in 2013)]]

File:North capitol & L street NE.jpg, NE.]]

In October 2010, NPR accepted a $1.8 million grant from the Open Society Institute. The grant is meant to begin a project called Impact of Government that was intended to add at least 100 journalists at NPR member radio stations in all 50 states by 2013.{{cite news

| title = The Situation Room

| work = CNN

| date = October 22, 2010

| url = http://archives.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1010/22/sitroom.02.html

| access-date = November 14, 2010

| archive-date = June 28, 2011

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110628184600/http://archives.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1010/22/sitroom.02.html

| url-status = dead

}} The OSI has made previous donations but does not take on-air credit for its gifts.{{cite web |url=http://philanthropy.com/article/Secret-Tape-Explores/126802/ |title=Secret Recording Explores Relationship Between Billionaire Soros and NPR |last1=Chiu |first1=Lisa |date=March 17, 2011 |website=philanthropy.com |publisher=The Chronicle of Philanthropy |access-date=May 13, 2015 |archive-date=February 12, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212041048/http://philanthropy.com/article/Secret-Tape-Explores/126802 |url-status=dead }}

In April 2013, NPR moved from its home of 19 years (635 Massachusetts Avenue NW) to new offices and production facilities at 1111 North Capitol Street NE in a building adapted from the former C&P Telephone Warehouse and Repair Facility.{{cite press release |url=https://www.npr.org/about/press/2013/020113.NewNPRHeadquarters.html |title=New NPR Headquarters Nears Completion |publisher=NPR |date=February 1, 2013 |access-date=April 9, 2013 |archive-date=April 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130427112807/http://www.npr.org/about/press/2013/020113.NewNPRHeadquarters.html |url-status=live }} The new headquarters—at the corner of North Capitol Street NE and L Street NW—is in the burgeoning NoMa neighborhood of Washington.{{cite news |first=Clinton |last=Yates |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/local/wp/2013/06/05/npr-moves-to-noma-d-c-s-simcity-of-gentrification/ |title=NPR Moves to NoMa, D.C.'s SimCity of Gentrification |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019105447/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/local/wp/2013/06/05/npr-moves-to-noma-d-c-s-simcity-of-gentrification/ |archive-date=October 19, 2017 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=June 5, 2013}} The first show scheduled to be broadcast from the new studios was Weekend Edition Saturday.{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2013/04/06/176419123/saying-goodbye-to-the-old-npr-headquarters |title=Saying Goodbye to the Old NPR Headquarters |last1=Simon |first1=Scott |date=April 6, 2013 |website=Weekend Edition |publisher=NPR |access-date=May 13, 2015 |archive-date=October 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026132754/https://www.npr.org/2013/04/06/176419123/saying-goodbye-to-the-old-npr-headquarters |url-status=live }} Morning Edition was the last show to move to the new location.{{cite press release | url = https://www.npr.org/about/press/2013/042213.NPRMovesHQ.html | title = NPR Moves to New Headquarters – Morning Edition Airs First Broadcast from New Building Today | publisher = NPR | date = April 22, 2013 | access-date = May 14, 2013 | archive-date = May 13, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130513142708/http://www.npr.org/about/press/2013/042213.NPRMovesHQ.html | url-status = live }} In June 2013 NPR canceled the weekday call-in show Talk of the Nation.{{cite episode |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=196242323 |title=A Fond Farewell to Talk of the Nation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024163136/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=196242323 |archive-date=October 24, 2017 |series=Tell Me More |publisher=NPR |date=June 27, 2013 |access-date=July 13, 2013}}

In September 2013, certain of NPR's 840 full- and part-time employees were offered a voluntary buyout plan to reduce staff by 10 percent and return NPR to a balanced budget by the 2015 fiscal year.{{cite web|url= http://observer.com/2013/09/npr-offers-buyouts-to-reduce-employee-count-by-10-percent/|title= NPR to Offer Voluntary Buyouts in Bid to Balance Budget|date= September 13, 2013|work= The Observer|access-date= September 15, 2013|archive-date= October 26, 2022|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221026082238/https://observer.com/2013/09/npr-offers-buyouts-to-reduce-employee-count-by-10-percent/|url-status= live}}

In December 2018, The Washington Post reported that between 20 and 22 percent of NPR staff was classified as temps, while this compares to about five percent of a typical for-profit television station. Some of the temporary staff members told the newspaper the systems were "exploitative", but NPR's president of operations said the current system was in place because the station is a "media company that strives to be innovative and nimble."{{cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/at-npr-an-army-of-temps-resents-a-workplace-full-of-anxiety-and-insecurity/2018/12/07/32e49632-f35b-11e8-80d0-f7e1948d55f4_story.html |title=At NPR, an army of temps faces a workplace of anxiety and insecurity |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 9, 2018 |access-date=December 11, 2018 |archive-date=February 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218031738/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/at-npr-an-army-of-temps-resents-a-workplace-full-of-anxiety-and-insecurity/2018/12/07/32e49632-f35b-11e8-80d0-f7e1948d55f4_story.html |url-status=live }}

In December 2018, NPR launched a new podcast analytics technology called Remote Audio Data (RAD), which developer Stacey Goers described as a "method for sharing listening metrics from podcast applications straight back to publishers, with extreme care and respect for user privacy."{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/npr-extra/2018/12/11/675250553/remote-audio-data-is-here|title=Remote Audio Data Is Here|website=NPR|date=December 11, 2018|language=en|access-date=January 17, 2019|last1=Goers|first1=Stacey|archive-date=December 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221014726/http://www.npr.org/sections/npr-extra/2018/12/11/675250553/remote-audio-data-is-here|url-status=live}}

In late November 2022, CEO John Lansing told staffers in a memo that NPR needed to reduce spending by $10 million during the current fiscal year due to a drop in revenue from sponsors. The amount is approximately three percent of the organization's annual budget.{{cite news |last=Folkenflik |first=David |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/11/30/1139888190/npr-budget-shortfall-20-million |title=NPR to impose near-freeze on hiring but avoids layoffs as budget cuts loom |work=NPR |date=November 30, 2022 |accessdate=December 2, 2022 |archive-date=December 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202173439/https://www.npr.org/2022/11/30/1139888190/npr-budget-shortfall-20-million |url-status=live }}

In February 2023, Lansing announced in a memo that the network would be laying off approximately 10 percent of the workforce due to reduced advertising revenue. He said the annual operating budget is approximately $300 million, and the gap will likely be between $30 and $32 million.{{cite news |last=Folkenflick |first=David |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/02/22/1158710498/npr-layoffs-2023 |title=With layoffs, NPR becomes latest media outlet to cut jobs |work=NPR |date=February 23, 2023 |accessdate=February 23, 2023 |archive-date=February 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230223144726/https://www.npr.org/2023/02/22/1158710498/npr-layoffs-2023 |url-status=live }}

In January 2024, NPR's board named former Wikimedia Foundation CEO Katherine Maher as its new CEO, effective late March.{{cite news |last1=Folkenflik |first1=David |title=NPR names tech executive Katherine Maher to lead in turbulent era |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/01/24/1226035539/npr-ceo-katherine-maher-wikimedia |access-date=January 24, 2024 |work=NPR |date=January 24, 2024}}

On January 31, 2025, a Defense Department memo announced that NPR was among the major news outlets required to move out of its longtime workspace on the Correspondents' Corridor in the Pentagon, under a new Annual Media Rotation Program for the Pentagon Press Corps.{{cite web | title=Pentagon removes major media outlets, including NBC News, from dedicated workstations as part of a new 'rotation program' | website=NBC News | date=February 1, 2025 | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/pentagon-removes-major-media-outlets-nbc-news-dedicated-workstations-p-rcna190276 | access-date=February 1, 2025}}

NPR is a membership organization. Member stations are required to be non-commercial or non-commercial educational radio stations; have at least five full-time professional employees; operate for at least 18 hours per day; and not be designed solely to further a religious broadcasting philosophy or be used for classroom distance learning programming. Each member station receives one vote at the annual NPR board meetings—exercised by its designated Authorized Station Representative ("A-Rep").

To oversee the day-to-day operations and prepare its budget, members elect a board of directors. The board was previously composed of ten A-Reps, five members of the general public, and the chair of the NPR Foundation. On November 2, 2015, NPR Members approved a change in the NPR Bylaws to expand the board of directors to 23 directors, consisting of 12 Member Directors who are managers of NPR Member stations and are elected to the board by their fellow Member stations, 9 Public Directors who are prominent members of the public selected by the board and confirmed by NPR Member stations, the NPR Foundation Chair, and the NPR President & CEO.{{cite news

|url=https://www.npr.org/about-npr/182676957/npr-board-of-directors

|title=NPR Board of Directors

|newspaper=NPR

|date=June 20, 2013

|access-date=November 26, 2019

|archive-date=October 26, 2022

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026141904/https://www.npr.org/about-npr/182676957/npr-board-of-directors

|url-status=live

}} Terms are for three years and are staggered such that some stand for election every year.{{cite web |url=http://www.current.org/pbpb/documents/NPRbylaws99.html |title=NPR Bylaws |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320101744/http://www.current.org/pbpb/documents/NPRbylaws99.html |archive-date=March 20, 2012 |publisher=Public Broadcasting Policy Base |date=January 20, 1999}}

{{As of|2024|1}}, the board of directors of NPR included the following members:

;NPR member station managers

• Jennifer Ferro, president, KCRW and chair of the NPR Board of Directors
• Stephen George, general manager, Louisville Public Media
• Myrna Johnson, executive director, Iowa Public Radio
• Margaret Low, CEO, WBUR
• R.C. McBride, general manager, WGLT and WCBU
• Maria O'Mara, executive director, KUER
• Tina Pamintuan, CEO, St. Louis Public Radio
• Elise Pepple, executive director, Marfa Public Radio
• Erika Pulley-Hayes, general manager, WAMU
• Mike Savage, director and general manager, WEKU

;President of NPR

• John Lansing, president and CEO

;Chair of the NPR Foundation

• John McGinn

;Public members of the board

• Milena Alberti-Perez Financial, Media and Technology Executive
• Matthew Barzun, Media Entrepreneur, Author
• Scott Donaton, Founder, Narrative Thread and former SVP of Marketing at Hulu
• LeRoy Kim Managing Director, Allen & Company LLC
• Joanna Lambert, Head of Consumer, Yahoo!
• Catherine Levene, Executive, Entrepreneur, and Vice Chair, NPR Board of Directors
• Judith Segura, Lead Thermal Architect, Apple
• Howard Wollner, Senior Vice President, Retired, Starbucks
• Neal Zuckerman, Managing Director and Senior Partner, Head of the Media Practice, BCG

The original purposes of NPR, as ratified by the board of directors, are the following:

• Provide an identifiable daily product which is consistent and reflects the highest standards of broadcast journalism.
• Provide extended coverage of public events, issues and ideas, and to acquire and produce special public affairs programs.
• Acquire and produce cultural programs which can be scheduled individually by stations.
• Provide access to the intellectual and cultural resources of cities, universities and rural districts through a system of cooperative program development with member public radio stations.
• Develop and distribute programs for specific groups (adult education, instruction, modular units for local productions) which may meet needs of individual regions or groups, but may not have general national relevance.
• Establish liaison with foreign broadcasters for a program exchange service.
• Produce materials specifically intended to develop the art and technical potential of radio{{cite web|url=http://www.current.org/pbpb/documents/NPRpurposes.html|title=National Public Radio Purposes|work=Public Broadcasting PolicyBase at Current.org|last=Siemering|first=William|date=November 29, 1999|access-date=October 2, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070912105801/http://www.current.org/pbpb/documents/NPRpurposes.html|archive-date=September 12, 2007}}

;NPR Public Editor

The Public Editor responds to significant listener queries, comments and criticisms. The position reports to the president and CEO John Lansing.{{cite web|url=http://www.wnyc.org/story/new-ombudsman-to-start-jan-26/|title=New Ombudsman To Start Jan. 26|publisher=wnyc.org|access-date=April 19, 2016|archive-date=December 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206125726/https://www.wnyc.org/story/new-ombudsman-to-start-jan-26/|url-status=live}}

In April 2020, Kelly McBride became the Public Editor for 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 (Since 2024)

In 2020, NPR released a budget for FY21 anticipating revenue of $250 million, a slight decrease from the prior year due to impacts of COVID-19. The budget anticipated $240 million in operating expenses, plus additional debt service and capital costs that led to a cash deficit of approximately $4 million. The budget included $25 million in budget cuts.{{Cite web|url=https://current.org/2020/09/npr-budget-for-new-fiscal-year-aims-to-avoid-layoffs-despite-deficit/|title=NPR budget for new fiscal year aims to avoid layoffs despite deficit|date=September 18, 2020|access-date=January 6, 2021|archive-date=October 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031092015/https://current.org/2020/09/npr-budget-for-new-fiscal-year-aims-to-avoid-layoffs-despite-deficit/|url-status=live}}

On May 1, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and all federal agencies to end funding for PBS and NPR.{{cite news|title=Trump signs executive order directing federal funding cuts to PBS and NPR|date=May 1, 2025|publisher=Associated Press|url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-npr-pbs-republicans-public-broadcasting-f0e3e1acb96986732a0211833165bf84|access-date=May 2, 2025}} As a result, this order is likely to be challenged in the court.

During the 1970s and early 1980s, the majority of NPR funding came from the federal government. Steps were taken during the Reagan administration in the 1980s to completely wean NPR from government support, but the 1983 funding crisis forced the network to make immediate changes.

{{update section|with funding breakdown from public, private, and donation sources after 2020|date=June 2024}}

According to CPB, in 2009 11.3% of the aggregate revenues of all public radio broadcasting stations were funded from federal sources, principally through CPB;{{cite web |url= http://www.cpb.org/stations/reports/revenue/2009PublicBroadcastingRevenue.pdf |title= Table 2 Public Broadcasting Revenue by Public Television and Radio System and Source of Revenue, Fiscal Year 2008–2009 |work= Public Broadcasting Revenue Fiscal Year 2009 |publisher= Corporation for Public Broadcasting |access-date= August 5, 2011 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110623081629/http://cpb.org/stations/reports/revenue/2009PublicBroadcastingRevenue.pdf |archive-date= June 23, 2011 |df= mdy-all }} in 2012 10.9% of the revenues for Public Radio came from federal sources.{{cite web |url=http://www.cpb.org/stations/reports/revenue/2012PublicBroadcastingRevenue.pdf |title=Table 2 Public Broadcasting Revenue by Public Television and Radio System and Source of Revenue, Fiscal Year 2011–2012 |work=Public Broadcasting Revenue Fiscal Year 2012 |publisher=Corporation for Public Broadcasting |access-date=February 25, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301170647/http://www.cpb.org/stations/reports/revenue/2012PublicBroadcastingRevenue.pdf |archive-date=March 1, 2014 }}

In 2010, NPR revenues totaled $180 million, with the bulk of revenues coming from programming fees, grants from foundations or business entities, contributions and sponsorships. According to the 2009 financial statement, about 50% of NPR revenues come from the fees it charges member stations for programming and distribution charges. Typically, NPR member stations receive funds through on-air pledge drives, corporate underwriting, state and local governments, educational institutions, and the federally funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). In 2009, member stations derived 6% of their revenue from federal, state and local government funding, 10% of their revenue from CPB grants, and 14% of their revenue from universities.{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/about/aboutnpr/publicradiofinances.html |title=Public Radio Finances |publisher=NPR |access-date=October 22, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319015536/http://www.npr.org/about/aboutnpr/publicradiofinances.html |archive-date=March 19, 2012 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/02/npr_responds.asp|title=NPR Responds |website= The Weekly Standard |date=February 13, 2009 |first1=Michael |last1=Goldfarb |access-date=January 14, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101024042200/http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/02/npr_responds.asp|archive-date=October 24, 2010|url-status=dead}} NPR receives a small number of competitive grants from CPB and federal agencies like the Department of Education and the Department of Commerce.{{better source needed|date=April 2023}} This funding amounts to less than 1% of revenues.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/04/19/opinion/dont-give-up-twitter-npr-give-up-your-subsidy/ |first1=Jeff |last1=Jacoby |date=April 19, 2023 |title=Don't give up Twitter, NPR. Give up your subsidy. |newspaper=The Boston Globe |access-date=April 24, 2023 |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422225208/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/04/19/opinion/dont-give-up-twitter-npr-give-up-your-subsidy/ |url-status=live }}

In 2011, NPR announced the roll-out of their own online advertising network, which allows member stations to run geographically targeted advertisement spots from national sponsors that may otherwise be unavailable to their local area, opening additional advertising-related revenue streams to the broadcaster.{{cite magazine |last=Ungerleider |first=Neal |url=http://www.fastcompany.com/1746742/npr-launching-centralized-online-ad-network-bolster-revenue-member-stations |title=NPR Launching Centralized Online Ad Network to Bolster Revenue at Member Stations |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031131822/https://www.fastcompany.com/1746742/npr-launching-centralized-online-ad-network-bolster-revenue-member-stations |archive-date=October 31, 2022 |magazine=Fast Company |date=April 12, 2011}}

Center Stage, a mix of native advertising and banner ad featured prominently on the NPR homepage, above-the-fold, was launched in 2013. The launch partner for Center Stage was Squarespace.{{cite web|author=Taintor, David|title=NPR's New Ad Unit Falls Somewhere Between Banners and Native|url=http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/nprs-new-ad-unit-falls-somewhere-between-banners-and-native-151928|work=Adweek|date=August 16, 2013|access-date=February 9, 2015|archive-date=November 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116192212/http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/nprs-new-ad-unit-falls-somewhere-between-banners-and-native-151928|url-status=live}}

In 2014, NPR CEO Jarl Mohn said the network would begin to increase revenue by having brands NPR views as more relevant to the audience underwrite NPR programs and requesting higher rates from them.{{cite web|last1=Hart|first1=Peter|title=New NPR Boss: 'We're Going to Be Talking About Brands That Matter a Little Bit More'|url=http://fair.org/blog/2014/09/08/new-npr-boss-were-going-to-be-talking-about-brands-that-matter-a-little-bit-more/|website=fair.org|publisher=FAIR|date=September 8, 2014|access-date=February 9, 2015|archive-date=March 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306203303/http://fair.org/blog/2014/09/08/new-npr-boss-were-going-to-be-talking-about-brands-that-matter-a-little-bit-more/|url-status=live}}

For the year ended September 30, 2018, total operating revenues were $235 million, increasing to almost $259 million by September 2019.{{cite web|url=https://media.npr.org/documents/about/annualreports/2019_Annual_Report.pdf|title=2019 Annual Report, p34|publisher=National Public Radio|access-date=August 14, 2020|archive-date=October 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016081952/https://media.npr.org/documents/about/annualreports/2019_Annual_Report.pdf|url-status=live}}

In 2023, Current reported that NPR partnered with Spotify to run targeted advertisements sold through the Spotify Audience Network platform within NPR programming, when NPR has empty slots available they otherwise were unable to sell to other advertisers directly.{{cite web|title=NPR partners with Spotify to boost podcast advertising|first1=Jenna|last1=Spinelle|url=https://current.org/2023/04/npr-partners-with-spotify-to-boost-podcast-advertising/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413041351/https://current.org/2023/04/npr-partners-with-spotify-to-boost-podcast-advertising/|date=April 11, 2023|archive-date=April 13, 2023|access-date=April 15, 2023}}

In contrast with commercial broadcasting, NPR's radio broadcasts do not carry traditional commercials, but has advertising in the form of brief statements from major sponsors which may include corporate slogans, descriptions of products and services, and contact information such as website addresses and telephone numbers.{{cite web|title=NPR Underwriting Credit Guidelines|url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/ombudsman/NPR%20Underwriting%20Credit%20Guidelines.pdf|website=NPR|access-date=June 2, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140602125811/http://www.npr.org/blogs/ombudsman/NPR%20Underwriting%20Credit%20Guidelines.pdf|archive-date=June 2, 2014|page=1|date=November 24, 2008}} These statements are called underwriting spots and, unlike commercials, are governed by specific FCC restrictions in addition to truth in advertising laws; they cannot advocate a product or "promote the goods and services" of for-profit entities.{{cite web|title=The Public and Broadcasting|url=http://www.fcc.gov/guides/public-and-broadcasting-july-2008#UNDERWRITING|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=March 3, 2013|year=2008|archive-date=November 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151116193410/https://www.fcc.gov/guides/public-and-broadcasting-july-2008#UNDERWRITING|url-status=live}} These restrictions apply only to radio broadcasts and not NPR's other digital platforms. When questioned on the subject of how corporate underwriting revenues and foundation grants were holding up during the recession, in a speech broadcast on C-SPAN before the National Press Club on March 2, 2009, then president and CEO Vivian Schiller stated: "underwriting is down, it's down for everybody; this is the area that is most down for us, in sponsorship, underwriting, advertising, call it whatever you want; just like it is for all of media."{{cite web|title=Public Broadcasting and Commercial Media|url=http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/284368-1&start=3180|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140602124344/http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/284368-1&start=3180|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 2, 2014|publisher=C-SPAN|access-date=June 2, 2014|date=March 2, 2009}} Hosts of the NPR program Planet Money stated the audience is indeed a product being sold to advertisers in the same way as commercial stations, saying: "they are not advertisers exactly but, they have a lot of the same characteristics; let's just say that."{{cite web |title=The Friday Podcast: Economists on Federal Funding for NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/03/28/134863998/the-friday-podcast-economists-on-federal-funding-for-npr |work=Planet Money |publisher=NPR |access-date=June 3, 2014 |date=March 25, 2011 |archive-date=April 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428131404/http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/03/28/134863998/the-friday-podcast-economists-on-federal-funding-for-npr |url-status=live }}

According to NPR's 2022 data, 30.7 million listeners tuned into its programs each week.{{cite news |title=NPR Fact Sheet |newspaper=NPR |url=https://media.npr.org/documents/about/press/NPR_Fact_Sheet.pdf |access-date=September 10, 2023 |archive-date=August 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811014509/https://media.npr.org/documents/about/press/NPR_Fact_Sheet.pdf |url-status=live }} This is down from its 2017 high of 37.7 million,{{cite news |title=NPR Maintains Highest Ratings Ever |newspaper=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/about-npr/597590072/npr-maintains-highest-ratings-ever |date=March 28, 2018 |access-date=May 10, 2018 |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107001846/http://www.npr.org/about-npr/559791315/npr-stations-audience-grows-for-fifth-consecutive-national-ratings-period |url-status=live }} but still well above its total of 20.9 million in 2008.{{cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=March 24, 2009 |title=Good News for NPR: Its Most Listeners Ever |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/23/AR2009032302972.html |access-date=September 5, 2017 |archive-date=October 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013125613/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/23/AR2009032302972.html |url-status=live }}

According to 2015 figures, 87% of the NPR terrestrial public radio audience and 67% of the NPR podcast audience is white.{{cite news |first=Tracie |last=Powell |url=https://www.cjr.org/analysis/are_podcasts_the_new_path_to_diversifying_public_radio.php |title=Are podcasts the new path to diversifying public radio? |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103044333/https://www.cjr.org/analysis/are_podcasts_the_new_path_to_diversifying_public_radio.php |archive-date=January 3, 2023 |magazine=Columbia Journalism Review |date=May 22, 2015}} According to the 2012 Pew Research Center 2012 News Consumption Survey, NPR listeners tend to be highly educated, with 54% of regular listeners being college graduates and 21% having some college.{{cite web |url=http://www.people-press.org/2012/09/27/section-4-demographics-and-political-views-of-news-audiences/ |title=Section 4: Demographics and Political Views of News Audiences |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627082455/https://www.people-press.org/2012/09/27/section-4-demographics-and-political-views-of-news-audiences/ |archive-date=June 27, 2020 |publisher=Pew Research Center |date=September 27, 2012}} NPR's audience is almost exactly average in terms of the sex of listeners (49% male, 51% female). NPR listeners have higher incomes than average (the 2012 Pew study showed that 43% earn over $75,000, 27% earn between $30,000 and $75,000).

A 2012 Pew Research Center survey found that the NPR audience leans Democratic (17% Republican, 37% independent, 43% Democratic) and politically moderate (21% conservative, 39% moderate, 36% liberal). A late 2019 survey, also by Pew, found that NPR's audience overwhelmingly leaned Democratic. Further, 87% of those surveyed identified as Democrats, or leaning Democratic, and 12% were Republicans.{{Cite web |last=Grieco |first=Elizabeth |title=Americans' main sources for political news vary by party and age |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/01/americans-main-sources-for-political-news-vary-by-party-and-age/ |access-date=December 29, 2022 |website=Pew Research Center |date=April 2020 |language=en-US |archive-date=January 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114000444/https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/01/americans-main-sources-for-political-news-vary-by-party-and-age/ |url-status=live }}

A Harris telephone survey conducted in 2005 found that NPR was the most trusted news source in the United States.{{cite news |last=Eggerton |first=John |date=November 10, 2005 |title=Survey Says: Noncom News Most Trusted |work=Broadcasting & Cable |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/survey-says-noncom-news-most-trusted/108687 |access-date=October 2, 2006 |archive-date=November 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171125084742/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/survey-says-noncom-news-most-trusted/108687 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Trends and Facts on Public Broadcasting | State of the News Media |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/public-broadcasting/ |access-date=September 4, 2021 |archive-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213171110/https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/public-broadcasting/ |url-status=live }} In 2014, Pew reported that, of adults who had heard of NPR, 55% of those polled trusted it; this was a similar level of listener trust as CNN, NBC, and ABC.{{Cite web|last=Mitchell|first=Amy|date=October 30, 2014|title=Which news organization is the most trusted? The answer is complicated.|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/10/30/which-news-organization-is-the-most-trusted-the-answer-is-complicated/|access-date=August 19, 2020|website=Pew Research Center|language=en-US|archive-date=July 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722233547/https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/10/30/which-news-organization-is-the-most-trusted-the-answer-is-complicated/|url-status=live}}

NPR stations generally subscribe to the Nielsen rating service, but are not included in published ratings and rankings such as Radio & Records. NPR station listenership is measured by Nielsen in both Diary and PPM (people meter) markets. NPR stations are frequently not included in "summary level" diary data used by most advertising agencies for media planning. Data on NPR listening can be accessed using "respondent level" diary data. Additionally, all radio stations (public and commercial) are treated equally within the PPM data sets making NPR station listenership data much more widely available to the media planning community. NPR's signature morning news program, Morning Edition, is the network's most popular program, drawing 14.63 million listeners a week, with its afternoon newsmagazine, All Things Considered, a close second, with 14.6 million listeners a week according to 2017 Nielsen ratings data.{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/about-npr/559791315/npr-stations-audience-grows-for-fifth-consecutive-national-ratings-period |title=NPR Reaches 99 Million People Monthly, GenXers And Millennials Drive Growth |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107001846/http://www.npr.org/about-npr/559791315/npr-stations-audience-grows-for-fifth-consecutive-national-ratings-period |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |publisher=NPR |date=October 25, 2017}} Arbitron data is also provided by Radio Research Consortium, a non-profit corporation which subscribes to the Arbitron service and distributes the data to NPR and other non-commercial stations and on its website.{{cite news | first=Ben | last=Fong-Torres | title=Radio Waves | date=March 12, 2006 | url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2006%2F03%2F12%2FPKGU9GINB71.DTL | work=San Francisco Chronicle | access-date=April 26, 2008 | archive-date=February 28, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228165458/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2006%2F03%2F12%2FPKGU9GINB71.DTL | url-status=live }}

NPR's history in digital media includes the work of an independent, for-profit company called Public Interactive, which was founded in 1999 and acquired by PRI in June 2004, when it became a non-profit company.{{cite web |url=http://info.ds.npr.org/060204release.html |title=Public Interactive Press Area |publisher=NPR |date=June 2, 2004 |access-date=February 16, 2012 |archive-date=June 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619023930/http://info.ds.npr.org/060204release.html |url-status=live }} By July 2008, Public Interactive had "170 subscribers who collectively operate 325 public radio and television stations" and clients such as Car Talk, The World, and The Tavis Smiley Show; by the end of that month, NPR acquired Public Interactive from PRI{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/about/press/2008/073108.PublicInteractive.html |title=PRI And NPR Announce Deal To Grow Public Interactive, Public Media's Leading Web Services Company |publisher=NPR |date=July 31, 2008 |access-date=February 16, 2012 |archive-date=March 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312164649/http://www.npr.org/about/press/2008/073108.PublicInteractive.html |url-status=live }} In March 2011, NPR revealed a restructuring proposal in which Boston-based Public Interactive would become NPR Digital Services, separate from the Washington D.C.–based NPR Digital Media, which focuses on NPR-branded services.{{cite web |first=Karen |last=Everhart |url=http://www.current.org/web/web1105pi.html |title=Web infrastructure for pubmedia, 2011 |publisher=Current.org |date=March 7, 2011 |access-date=February 16, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415200228/http://www.current.org/web/web1105pi.html |archive-date=April 15, 2012 }} NPR Digital Services would continue offering its services to public TV stations.

The technical backbone of its digital news publishing system is Core Publisher, which was built on Drupal, an open-source content management system.

File:Kinsey Wilson and the npr.org crew at the 69th Annual Peabody Awards.jpg

NPR has been dubbed as "leveraging the Twitter generation"{{cite news|last1=O'Dell|first1=Jodie|title=How NPR Is Leveraging the Twitter Generation|url=http://mashable.com/2010/09/30/npr-twitter/#ke1gzs6J6kqY|access-date=January 22, 2017|agency=Mashable|date=September 30, 2010|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411082141/https://mashable.com/2010/09/30/npr-twitter/#ke1gzs6J6kqY|url-status=live}} because of its adaptation of the popular microblogging service as one of its primary vehicles of information. Of NPR's Twitter followers, the majority (67%) also listen to NPR on the radio. In a survey of more than 10,000 respondents, NPR found that its Twitter followers are younger, more connected to the social web, and more likely to access content through digital platforms such as its Peabody Award-winning website npr.org, as well as podcasts, mobile apps and more.{{cite news |last1=Carvin |first1=Andy |last2=Heard |first2=Meredith |title=Results Of The NPR Twitter User Survey |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/gofigure/2010/09/30/130238118/npr-twitter-survey |access-date=January 22, 2017 |agency=NPR |date=September 30, 2010 |archive-date=November 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221103102227/https://www.npr.org/sections/gofigure/2010/09/30/130238118/npr-twitter-survey |url-status=live}} NPR has more than one Twitter account including @NPR;{{cite web|url=https://www.twitter.com/npr|title=NPR (@NPR) |work=Twitter |access-date=January 27, 2014|archive-date=February 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224152848/https://twitter.com/NPR|url-status=live}} its survey found that most respondents followed between two and five NPR accounts, including topical account, show-specific accounts and on-air staff accounts.

In addition, NPR's Facebook page has been at the forefront of the company foray into social media. Started by college student and fan Geoff Campbell{{cite web| last = Campbell| first = Geoff| title = Mount Allison student gets Facebook ball rolling for American media organization, NPR| url = http://www.mta.ca/news/index.php?id=3518#3518 |date=March 1, 2011 |website=Mount Allison University | access-date = March 2, 2011| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110706190523/http://www.mta.ca/news/index.php?id=3518#3518| archive-date = July 6, 2011| df = mdy-all}} in 2008, the page was quickly taken over by the organization,{{cite web| last = Campbell| first = Geoff| title = How Andy Carvin took over NPR's Facebook Page from Student/Creator Geoff Campbell| website = YouTube| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwHvlZmr9KI |date=February 21, 2011 | access-date = March 2, 2011| archive-date = December 28, 2022| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221228230533/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwHvlZmr9KI| url-status = live}} and over the last two years has grown to nearly 4 million fans and is a popular example of the company's new focus on a younger audience.{{cite web| last =Tenore| first =Mallary Jean| title =Carvin: Facebook Lets NPR Empower Those Who Love Us, Listen to Those Who Don't| url =http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/top-stories/104499/carvin-facebook-lets-npr-empower-those-who-love-us-listen-to-those-who-dont/ |date= July 22, 2010 |website=Poynter. | access-date =March 2, 2011| url-status =dead| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110515032437/http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/top-stories/104499/carvin-facebook-lets-npr-empower-those-who-love-us-listen-to-those-who-dont/| archive-date =May 15, 2011| df =mdy-all}} NPR also has a YouTube channel featuring regularly posted videos covering news and informational subjects.

In May 2018, a group led by NPR acquired the podcasting app Pocket Casts.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/3/17314866/pocket-casts-podcast-app-acquisition-npr-wnyc-wbez-this-american-life |date=May 3, 2018 |first1= Chris |last1=Welch |title=Pocket Casts acquired by NPR, other public radio stations, and This American Life|work=The Verge|access-date=May 3, 2018|archive-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103144658/https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/3/17314866/pocket-casts-podcast-app-acquisition-npr-wnyc-wbez-this-american-life|url-status=live}} On July 16, 2021, Automattic acquired Pocket Casts from NPR.{{cite web |url=https://wordpress.com/blog/2021/07/16/popular-podcast-app-pocket-casts-joins-automattic/ |first1=Eli |last1=Budelli |website=WordPress.com News |title=Popular Podcast App Pocket Casts Joins Automattic – WordPress.com News |date=July 16, 2021 |access-date=October 20, 2022 |archive-date=October 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020064613/https://wordpress.com/blog/2021/07/16/popular-podcast-app-pocket-casts-joins-automattic/ |url-status=live }}

File:NPR One logo.png

In July 2014, NPR launched NPR One, an app for iOS and Android smartphones and other mobile devices, which aimed to make it easier for listeners to stream local NPR stations live, and listen to NPR podcasts by autoplaying content and permitting easy navigation.{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2014/07/28/npr-launches-new-npr-one-mobile-app-for-curating-public-radio-news/|title=NPR launches new 'NPR One' mobile app for curating public radio news|date=July 28, 2014|website=VentureBeat |first1=Tom |last1=Cheredar |access-date=April 26, 2017|archive-date=July 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707142155/https://venturebeat.com/2014/07/28/npr-launches-new-npr-one-mobile-app-for-curating-public-radio-news/|url-status=live}} Since launch, NPR has made the service available on additional channels: Windows mobile devices, web browsers, Chromecast, Apple Car Play, Apple Watch, Android Auto, Android Wear, Samsung Gear S2 and S3, Amazon Fire TV, and Amazon Alexa–enabled devices.{{cite web|url=https://help.npr.org/customer/en/portal/articles/2100796-what-devices-will-npr-one-work-on-?b_id=13750|title=What devices will NPR One work on?|publisher=NPR One Help |access-date=April 26, 2017|archive-date=November 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106173651/https://help.npr.org/customer/en/portal/articles/2100796-what-devices-will-npr-one-work-on-?b_id=13750|url-status=dead }} The New York Times listed NPR One as one of 2016's "best apps".{{cite news |last1=Eaton |first1=Kit |date=December 14, 2016 |title=2016 in Review: The Year's Best Apps |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/14/technology/personaltech/best-apps.html |url-access=subscription |work=The New York Times |access-date=September 24, 2019 |archive-date=December 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161214174013/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/14/technology/personaltech/best-apps.html |url-status=live }}

As of October 2024, the NPR programs still in production are as follows:

File:NPR News logo.png

NPR produces daily news programs that air live on member stations.

• Morning Edition, a morning news magazine hosted by Leila Fadel, Steve Inskeep, Michel Martin, and A Martínez.
• Weekend Edition, hosted by Scott Simon (Saturdays) and Ayesha Rascoe (Sundays).
• All Things Considered, an evening news magazine hosted by Ailsa Chang, Mary Louise Kelly, Ari Shapiro, and Juana Summers.
• Weekend All Things Considered, hosted by Scott Detrow.
• Here and Now, a midday news magazine hosted by Deepa Fernandes, Scott Tong, and Robin Young (co-produced with WBUR).
• NPR produces 5-minute hourly newscasts around the clock, airing at the top of every hour (and the bottom of the hour on weekday mornings and evenings).

• Up First, a morning news podcast hosted by Morning Edition and Weekend Edition hosts.
• Consider This, an afternoon news podcast hosted by All Things Considered and Weekend All Things Considered hosts.
• NPR News Now, the podcast feed for hourly newscasts.
• NPR Politics Podcast, hosted by Tamara Keith and Asma Khalid.
• State of the World (formerly State of Ukraine), a news podcast featuring international stories from NPR journalists on the ground.{{cite web |date=October 11, 2023 |title=NPR introduces 'State of the World' daily podcast |url=https://www.npr.org/about-npr/1205213380/npr-introduces-state-of-the-world-daily-podcast |access-date=May 5, 2024 |website=NPR.org |publisher=NPR}}

• Alt.Latino, a podcast on Latino arts and culture hosted by Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre.
• NPR's Book of the Day, a literary podcast that features interviews with authors of all genres, hosted by Andrew Limbong.{{cite web|title='NPR's Book of the Day' Podcast Debuts Wednesday|url=https://www.npr.org/about-npr/1040396493/nprs-book-of-the-day-podcast-debuts-wednesday|website=NPR.org|publisher=NPR|date=September 27, 2021|access-date=May 5, 2024}}
• Code Switch, a podcast about race and identity hosted by Gene Demby, Lori Lizarraga, and B.A. Parker.
• Embedded, an investigative podcast hosted by Kelly McEvers.
• How I Built This, a podcast on entrepreneurship hosted by Guy Raz.
• It's Been a Minute, a podcast on pop culture hosted by Brittany Luse.
• Life Kit, an advice podcast hosted by Marielle Segarra.
• Planet Money, a podcast on economics.
• The Indicator, a daily podcast on economics from the people who make Planet Money.
• Pop Culture Happy Hour, a podcast on pop culture hosted by Aisha Harris, Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, and Glen Weldon.
• Short Wave, a daily science podcast hosted by Emily Kwong and Regina Barber.
• TED Radio Hour, hosted by Manoush Zomorodi (co-produced with TED).
• Throughline, a podcast on history hosted by Rund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei.
• Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, a humorous news-based panel show hosted by Peter Sagal (co-produced with WBEZ).
• Wild Card, an interview podcast hosted by Rachel Martin.
• How to Do Everything, a comedy podcast hosted by Mike Danforth and Ian Chillag.

{{See also|NPR Music}}

• All Songs Considered, a music podcast.
• Jazz Night In America, hosted by Christian McBride (co-produced with WBGO and Jazz at Lincoln Center).
• Tiny Desk Concerts, video concert series broadcast on NPR official website[https://www.npr.org/series/tiny-desk-concerts/ Tiny Desk Concerts on NPR official website]. and NPR Music YouTube channel.[https://www.youtube.com/@nprmusic NPR Music YouTube channel]

• 1A, public affairs roundtable program hosted by Jenn White (WAMU).
• Fresh Air, interviews with cultural news-makers hosted by Terry Gross and Tonya Mosley (WHYY-FM).
• Youth Radio, stories told by youth (self-produced).

• Bullseye with Jesse Thorn, hosted by Jesse Thorn (Maximum Fun).
• The Best of Car Talk, humorous automotive advice hosted by Tom Magliozzi and Ray Magliozzi (WBUR; production ended September 2017, currently running as "best of"{{cite web|url=http://current.org/2016/07/nprs-best-of-car-talk-will-end-in-september-2017/|title=NPR's 'Best of Car Talk' will end in September 2017|website=current.org|date=July 27, 2016|access-date=March 18, 2017|archive-date=November 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128075513/https://current.org/2016/07/nprs-best-of-car-talk-will-end-in-september-2017/|url-status=live}}).
• The Engines of Our Ingenuity, a daily radio series that tells the story of human invention and creativity in {{frac|3|1|2}} minute essays (Houston Public Radio, sponsored by University of Houston).
• Radio Ambulante, a Spanish-Language podcast which covers news in Latin America (self-produced).
• StoryCorps, oral history recordings (self-produced).

• From the Top, a program showcasing young classical musicians between the ages of 8–18 (self-produced).
• Mountain Stage, hosted by Larry Groce (West Virginia Public Broadcasting).
• World Cafe, a 2-hour music program featuring both recorded music and interviews and live in-studio performances, hosted by Raina Douris (WXPN).

Many programs broadcast on U.S. public radio stations are not affiliated with NPR. If these programs are distributed by another distributor, a public radio station must also affiliate with that network to take that network's programming.

American Public Media (APM) and Public Radio Exchange (PRX; which also merged with Public Radio International in 2018) are other major public radio production and distribution organizations with distinct missions, and each competes with the other and NPR for programming slots on public radio stations.

Most public radio stations are NPR member stations and many are affiliate stations of APM and PRX at the same time. The organizations have different governance structures and missions and relationships with stations.

{{Main|American Public Media}}

• BBC World Service, world news produced by the BBC often used to fill overnight hours
• Classical 24, generally airs overnights on many non-commercial stations
• The Daily, daily podcast created by The New York Times and hosted by Michael Barbaro
• Marketplace, program that focuses on business, the economy, and events that influence them
• Performance Today, most listened-to daily classical music radio program in the United States (formerly distributed by NPR)
• Pipedreams, radio music program focusing on organ music
• The Splendid Table, weekly program about food

{{Main|Public Radio Exchange||Public Radio International}}

This list includes programs that were distributed by Public Radio International (PRI) prior to the merger with PRX.

• A Way with Words, a show about language; distributed by Public Radio Exchange and Public Radio Satellite System
• Echoes, a daily program of ambient, new age, and electronic music hosted by John Diliberto (formerly distributed by PRI)
• Hearts of Space, a weekly program of ambient, space, and contemplative music hosted by Stephen Hill, San Rafael, Calif.
• Latino USA, Latino issues hosted by Maria Hinojosa (Futuro Media Group; formerly distributed by NPR)
• Living on Earth, environmental news program (formerly distributed by NPR and PRI)
• Philosophy Talk, everyday topics examined through a philosophical lens, hosted by Stanford philosophy professors John Perry and Ken Taylor, produced by Ben Manilla Productions (KALW)
• Planetary Radio, space exploration radio program hosted by Mat Kaplan, The Planetary Society, Pasadena, Calif.
• Reveal, a podcast of investigative journalism hosted by Al Letson (Center for Investigative Reporting).
• Selected Shorts, dramatic readings hosted by Isaiah Sheffer, Symphony Space, (WNYC; formerly distributed by PRI)
• This American Life, stories of real life hosted by Ira Glass, distributed by Public Radio Exchange
• The Takeaway, a daily news program from WNYC (formerly distributed by PRI)
• The World, news magazine show with an emphasis on international news (formerly distributed by PRI)

{{further|WNYC Studios}}

• On the Media, covering journalism, technology, and First Amendment issues (formerly distributed by NPR)
• Science Friday, science issues call-in hosted by Ira Flatow and independently produced (formerly distributed by NPR)

• Democracy Now!, the flagship news program of the Pacifica Radio network, provides a feed to NPR stations
• Forum, call-in panel discussion program, wide-ranging national and local topics hosted by Michael Krasny (KQED-FM).
• Jazz from Lincoln Center, Wynton Marsalis, formerly hosted by Ed Bradley, Murray Street Productions
• The Merrow Report, education issues hosted by John Merrow, Learning Matters Inc.
• The People's Pharmacy, a call-in and interview program on personal health from WUNC in Chapel Hill, N.C.
• Pulse of the Planet, a daily two-minute sound portrait of Planet Earth, hosted by Jim Metzner.
• StarDate, short segments relating to science and astronomy from the University of Texas at Austin's McDonald Observatory hosted by Billy Henry.
• Sunday Baroque, baroque and early music hosted by Suzanne Bona (WSHU-FM)
• Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts, regular series of full-length opera performances
• Hearts of Space, weekly program featuring music of a contemplative nature drawn largely from the ambient, new-age and electronic genres, hosted by Stephen Hill

{{Main|NPR controversies}}

Over the course of NPR's history, controversies have arisen over a number of issues and incidents.

NPR has been accused of displaying both liberal bias and conservative bias.

NPR station WNYC in New York City delved into the question of purported liberal bias on its On the Media program in March 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.wnyc.org/story/133120-does-public-radio-have-a-liberal-bias-the-finale/|title=Does Public Radio Have A Liberal Bias? The Finale!|date=March 25, 2011|publisher=WNYC|format=Radio Transcript|work=On The Media|access-date=September 4, 2011|archive-date=November 30, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130005641/https://www.wnyc.org/story/133120-does-public-radio-have-a-liberal-bias-the-finale/|url-status=live}} The program invited four conservative listeners to participate in the discussion, and highlighted two studies that assessed the issue of bias in the news media, with differing results. One study (by professors at UCLA and the University of Missouri), which was based on the number of liberal or conservative think-tanks that were cited by a range of news outlets, found that NPR's Morning Edition was somewhat liberal. The other study, by Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, counted the number of Republicans and Democrats who were heard on Morning Edition and All Things Considered, and found "a very strong slant in favor of the GOP."

Public radio host Lisa Simeone, who worked for NPR from 1998 to 2002, accused NPR's Pentagon reporting of being "little more than Pentagon press releases."{{cite web |last1=Ragusea |first1=Adam |author-link1=Adam Ragusea |title=A critic sees "pro-government" bias in NPR's reporting, not a leftward lean |url=https://current.org/2016/03/a-critic-sees-pro-government-bias-in-nprs-reporting/ |website=Current |access-date=May 12, 2020 |date=March 15, 2016 |archive-date=January 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103134940/https://current.org/2016/03/a-critic-sees-pro-government-bias-in-nprs-reporting/ |url-status=live }} The NPR ombudsman has described how NPR's coverage of the Israel-Palestinian conflict has been simultaneously criticized as biased by both sides.{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/ombudsman/2010/06/17/127895293/listeners-hear-same-israeli-palestinian-coverage-differently |title=Listeners Hear Same Israeli-Palestinian Coverage Differently |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150401064423/http://www.npr.org/blogs/ombudsman/2010/06/17/127895293/listeners-hear-same-israeli-palestinian-coverage-differently |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |publisher=NPR Ombudsman |date=June 18, 2010}} University of Texas journalism professor and author Robert Jensen has criticized NPR as taking a pro-war stance during coverage of Iraq war protests.{{cite web |url=http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~rjensen/freelance/attack52.htm |title=Published Articles – 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007171220/http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/%7Erjensen/freelance/attack52.htm |archive-date=October 7, 2011 |publisher=University of Texas |first=Robert |last=Jensen}} During the 2020 election, NPR declined to cover the controversy surrounding a New York Post article on the Hunter Biden laptop controversy, saying "...we don't want to waste the listeners' and readers' time on stories that are just pure distractions..."{{cite web|work= NPR Public Editor|url=http://view.nl.npr.org/?qs=22d4bf85a85c320fdbaf58ecc1ada89b69c273b668447c793870a4e78166bda1fdad86a87553c1aea814d8820cde92276959de8ba03daa8ee1175aa615825563a607dc9fb9496fd7b441d8f8f939ec63 | access-date=November 2, 2020 | title=Responding to the New York Post | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116102854/http://view.nl.npr.org/?qs=22d4bf85a85c320fdbaf58ecc1ada89b69c273b668447c793870a4e78166bda1fdad86a87553c1aea814d8820cde92276959de8ba03daa8ee1175aa615825563a607dc9fb9496fd7b441d8f8f939ec63 |archive-date=November 16, 2020}}

In 2024, veteran NPR journalist Uri Berliner stated that NPR demonstrated a left-wing bias in its reporting after the 2016 United States presidential election, citing NPR's approach to coverage of the Hunter Biden laptop controversy, the Mueller special counsel investigation, the origin of SARS-CoV-2, and the 2023 Israel-Hamas war.{{cite web |title=NPR accused of left-wing bias by its own top journalist|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/article/npr-news-politics-liberal-conservative-8qsshtrxs |work = The Times |date=April 9, 2024 }}{{cite web |title=NPR in Turmoil After It Is Accused of Liberal Bias|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/11/business/media/npr-criticism-liberal-bias.html |work = The New York Times |date=April 11, 2024 }} According to Berliner, NPR's management prioritized focus on race and identity politics, while NPR simultaneously lost viewpoint diversity.{{cite web |title=NPR ignoring stories because of Left-wing diversity push, editor claims |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2024/04/10/npr-us-radio-ignoring-stories-left-wing-diversity-push/ |work = The Telegraph |date=April 10, 2024 }} NPR editor-in-chief Edith Chapin claimed that NPR stood behind its work and defended its policies on inclusion.{{cite web |title=Top NPR editors 'strongly disagree' with network veteran's take on quality of journalism |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/4584965-npr-editors-network-criticism-op-ed/ |work = The Hill |date=April 10, 2024 }} NPR subsequently suspended Berliner for 5 days without pay, claiming that he did not secure NPR approval to work for another outlet.{{cite web |title=NPR suspends veteran editor as it grapples with his public criticism |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/04/16/1244962042/npr-editor-uri-berliner-suspended-essay |work = NPR |date=April 16, 2024 }} Berliner subsequently resigned, citing disparagement by CEO Katherine Maher and her divisive views.{{cite web |title=NPR Editor Who Accused Broadcaster of Liberal Bias Resigns |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/17/business/media/uri-berliner-npr-resigns.html |work = The New York Times |date=April 17, 2024 }}

In a controversial act, in 2009 NPR banned the use of the word "torture" in regard to the George W. Bush administration's employment of so-called "enhanced interrogation techniques".{{cite news |url=http://www.salon.com/2009/07/02/npr_2/ |title=The still-growing NPR 'torture' controversy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415083227/http://www.salon.com/2009/07/02/npr_2/ |archive-date=April 15, 2012 |magazine=Salon.com |date=July 2, 2009}} NPR Ombudswoman Alicia Shepard's defense of the policy was that "calling waterboarding torture is tantamount to taking sides."{{cite news |url=http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2009/06/26/02 |title=Torturous Wording |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090704115001/http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2009/06/26/02 |archive-date=July 4, 2009 |publisher=NPR |type=transcript |date=June 26, 2009}} UC Berkeley Professor of Linguistics Geoffrey Nunberg pointed out that virtually all media around the world, other than what he called the "spineless U.S. media", call these techniques torture.{{cite web |url=http://www.scpr.org/programs/patt-morrison/2009/06/26/729/calling-a-spade-a-spade-use-of-the-word-torture/ |title=Calling a Spade a Spade: Use of the Word 'Torture' |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140308090458/http://www.scpr.org/programs/patt-morrison/2009/06/26/729/calling-a-spade-a-spade-use-of-the-word-torture/ |archive-date=March 8, 2014 |publisher=KPCC |date=June 26, 2009 |first=Patt |last=Morrison}}{{cite news |last=McQuaid |first=John |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/may/12/torture-new-york-times-washington-post |title=The semantics of torture |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724213632/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/may/12/torture-new-york-times-washington-post |archive-date=July 24, 2018 |website=The Guardian |date=May 13, 2009}} In an article which criticized NPR and other U.S. media for their use of euphemisms for torture, independent journalist Glenn Greenwald discussed what he called the enabling "corruption of American journalism":{{cite web |url=http://www.salon.com/2009/06/06/nyt_5/ |title=The NYT's nice, new euphemism for torture |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122115414/https://www.salon.com/2009/06/06/nyt_5/ |archive-date=November 22, 2022 |website=Salon.com |date=June 6, 2009}}

This active media complicity in concealing that our Government created a systematic torture regime, by refusing ever to say so, is one of the principal reasons it was allowed to happen for so long. The steadfast, ongoing refusal of our leading media institutions to refer to what the Bush administration did as "torture" – even in the face of more than 100 detainee deaths; the use of that term by a leading Bush official to describe what was done at Guantanamo; and the fact that media outlets frequently use the word "torture" to describe exactly the same methods when used by other countries – reveals much about how the modern journalist thinks.

In 1994, NPR arranged to air, on All Things Considered, a series of three-minute commentaries by Mumia Abu-Jamal, a journalist convicted of murdering Philadelphia Police officer Daniel Faulkner. They cancelled the commentaries after the Fraternal Order of Police and members of the U.S. Congress objected.{{Cite news |title = Judge Dismisses Inmate's Suit Against NPR |newspaper=The Washington Post |date = August 22, 1997 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1997/08/22/judge-dismisses-inmates-suit-against-npr/4314be1a-2cb8-4685-bdcb-3814df291d14/}}

On October 20, 2010, NPR terminated Senior News Analyst Juan Williams's independent contract{{cite news

| url = http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2010/10/npr-news-dumps-analyst-juan-williams-over-comments-about-muslims-/1?csp=34news

| title = Update: NPR exec says Juan Williams crossed the line before

| last = Stanglin

| first = Doug

| date = October 21, 2010

| access-date = October 21, 2010

| work = USA Today

| archive-date = May 20, 2016

| archive-url = http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20160520153328/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2010/10/npr-news-dumps-analyst-juan-williams-over-comments-about-muslims-/1?csp=34news

| url-status = live

}} over a series of incidents culminating in remarks he made on the Fox News Channel regarding Muslim head coverings and not feeling comfortable around women wearing them. Williams's firing, which was made abruptly without Williams being given a face-to-face meeting beforehand, was reported by The Washington Post as being a key part of Ellen Weiss, NPR's top news executive at the time, being given an ultimatum on January 4, 2011, to either resign or be fired. On January 6, 2011, NPR announced that Weiss had quit.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/npr-probe-of-juan-williams-firing-questions-ellen-weisss-management-style/2011/01/27/AB5K63Q_story.html|title=NPR probe of Juan Williams firing questions Ellen Weiss's management style|last1=Farhi|first1=Paul|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=January 27, 2011|accessdate=May 15, 2021}}

In March 2011, conservative political activist and provocateur James O'Keefe sent partners Simon Templar (a pen name) and Shaughn Adeleye{{cite news|publisher = Politico|url = http://www.politico.com/blogs/onmedia/0311/NPR_exec_tea_party_is_scary_racist.html?showall|date = March 8, 2011|title = NPR exec: tea party is 'scary,' 'racist'|first = Keach|last = Hagey|access-date = March 12, 2011|archive-date = September 13, 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200913193725/https://www.politico.com/blogs/onmedia/0311/NPR_exec_tea_party_is_scary_racist.html?showall|url-status = live}} to secretly record their discussion with Ronald Schiller, NPR's outgoing senior vice president for fundraising, and an associate, in which Schiller made remarks viewed as disparaging of "the current Republican party, especially the Tea Party", and controversial comments regarding Palestine and funding for NPR. NPR disavowed Schiller's comments. CEO Vivian Schiller, who is not related to Ronald, later resigned over the fallout from the comments and the previous firing of Juan Williams.{{cite news | author = Mark Memmott | title = NPR CEO Vivian Schiller resigns | publisher = NPR | date = March 9, 2011 | access-date = March 9, 2011 | url = https://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/03/09/134388981/npr-ceo-vivian-schiller-resigns | archive-date = March 10, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110310062059/http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/03/09/134388981/npr-ceo-vivian-schiller-resigns | url-status = live }}

From 1988 to 2021,{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/npr-morning-edition-steve-inskeep-july-4-reading/|title=NPR Breaks 4th of July Tradition of Reading Declaration of Independence to Examine Its History|accessdate=July 4, 2022|date=July 4, 2022|last=Fuster|first=Jeremy|work=TheWrap|archive-date=November 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128100437/https://www.thewrap.com/npr-morning-edition-steve-inskeep-july-4-reading/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/4th-july-npr-scraps-declaration-reading-tradition-equality-discussion|title=On 4th of July, NPR scraps Declaration reading tradition for 'equality' discussion|accessdate=July 4, 2022|date=July 4, 2022|last=Parks|first=Kristine|work=Fox News|archive-date=November 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128100435/https://www.foxnews.com/media/4th-july-npr-scraps-declaration-reading-tradition-equality-discussion|url-status=live}} NPR broadcast an annual reading of the 1776 United States Declaration of Independence over the radio.{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2016/07/04/483757766/the-declaration-of-independence-240-years-later|title=The Declaration Of Independence, 240 Years Later|newspaper=NPR|access-date=July 5, 2017|archive-date=December 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221227220336/https://www.npr.org/2016/07/04/483757766/the-declaration-of-independence-240-years-later|url-status=live |date=July 4, 2016}} In 2017, it began using Twitter as a medium for reading the document as well. On July 4, 2017, the 100+ tweets were met with considerable opposition, as some online supporters of Donald Trump mistakenly believed the words of the Declaration referring to George III of the United Kingdom were being directed towards the president. The tweets were called "trash" and were accused of being "propaganda",{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/07/05/some-trump-supporters-thought-npr-tweeted-propaganda-it-was-the-declaration-of-independence/|title=Some Trump supporters thought NPR tweeted 'propaganda.' It was the Declaration of Independence.|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=July 5, 2017|archive-date=December 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221217204416/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/07/05/some-trump-supporters-thought-npr-tweeted-propaganda-it-was-the-declaration-of-independence/|url-status=live}} condoning violence{{Cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/news/nation-world/article159682299.html|title=NPR tweets the Declaration of Independence, and people freak out about a 'revolution'|work=kansascity|access-date=July 5, 2017|language=en|archive-date=July 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705200351/http://www.kansascity.com/news/nation-world/article159682299.html|url-status=live}} and calling for revolution.{{Cite news|url=http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/npr-tweets-declaration-of-independence-triggers-outrage|title=NPR Tweets Declaration Of Independence, Triggers Outrage|work=Talking Points Memo|access-date=July 5, 2017|language=en-US|archive-date=December 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205033936/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/npr-tweets-declaration-of-independence-triggers-outrage|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/05/us/npr-twitter-declaration-trnd/index.html|title=No, NPR was not trying to start a revolution|author=Nancy Coleman|website=CNN|date=July 5, 2017|access-date=July 5, 2017|archive-date=December 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215144215/https://www.cnn.com/2017/07/05/us/npr-twitter-declaration-trnd/index.html|url-status=live}} The July 4, 2022, annual tradition was not held. Instead, referencing the recent Dobbs decision and voting rights, host Steve Innskeep held a discussion on "what equality means" with two historians, contrasting Thomas Jefferson's use of "All men are created equal" in the Declaration with his participation in slavery.

In October 2017, sexual harassment charges were leveled against Michael Oreskes, senior vice president of news and editorial director since 2015. Some of the accusations dated back to when he was Washington, D.C. bureau chief for The New York Times during the 1990s, while others involved his conduct at NPR,{{cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/nprs-top-editor-accused-of-sexual-harassment-by-two-women/2017/10/31/a2078bea-bdf7-11e7-959c-fe2b598d8c00_story.html |title=NPR's top editor placed on leave after accusations of sexual harassment |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 31, 2017 |access-date=November 1, 2017 |archive-date=November 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171101010207/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/nprs-top-editor-accused-of-sexual-harassment-by-two-women/2017/10/31/a2078bea-bdf7-11e7-959c-fe2b598d8c00_story.html |url-status=live }} where eight women filed sexual harassment complaints against Oreskes.{{Cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=November 3, 2017 |title=NPR chief faces employee fury as harassment scandal expands |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/two-new-accusers-emerge-at-npr-adding-to-growing-harassment-scandal/2017/11/03/06ec9fb6-c012-11e7-8444-a0d4f04b89eb_story.html |access-date=December 31, 2022 |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=March 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316215411/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/two-new-accusers-emerge-at-npr-adding-to-growing-harassment-scandal/2017/11/03/06ec9fb6-c012-11e7-8444-a0d4f04b89eb_story.html |url-status=live }} After a report on the Times accusations was published in The Washington Post, NPR put Oreskes on administrative leave, and the following day his resignation was requested.{{cite news |last=Folkenflik |first=David |title=NPR's Head Of News Placed On Leave After Past Harassment Allegations Surface |date=October 31, 2017 |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/10/31/561267272/nprs-head-of-news-placed-on-leave-after-past-harassment-allegations-surface |publisher=NPR |access-date=November 1, 2017 |archive-date=December 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204064804/https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/10/31/561267272/nprs-head-of-news-placed-on-leave-after-past-harassment-allegations-surface |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Stelter |first1=Brian |last2=Smith |first2=Aaron |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/11/01/media/michael-oreskes-npr/index.html |title=Top NPR editor resigns amid allegations of harassment |work=CNN |date=November 1, 2017 |access-date=November 1, 2017 |archive-date=December 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209003850/https://money.cnn.com/2017/11/01/media/michael-oreskes-npr/index.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/top-newsroom-official-at-npr-resigns-amid-harassment-allegations/2017/11/01/d26d682c-bf1e-11e7-8444-a0d4f04b89eb_story.html |title=Michael Oreskes, top NPR newsroom official, resigns amid harassment allegations |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=November 1, 2017 |access-date=November 1, 2017 |archive-date=November 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171101202130/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/top-newsroom-official-at-npr-resigns-amid-harassment-allegations/2017/11/01/d26d682c-bf1e-11e7-8444-a0d4f04b89eb_story.html |url-status=live }} CNN's Brian Stelter reported that NPR staffers were dissatisfied with the handling of Oreskes, were demanding an external investigation, and that Oreskes poisoned the newsroom atmosphere by abusing his position to meet young women.{{Cite news |last=Stelter |first=Brian |date=November 2, 2017 |title=At NPR, Oreskes harassment scandal leaves deep wounds |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/11/01/media/npr-michael-oreskes-resigns-fallout/index.html |publisher=CNNMoney |access-date=November 2, 2017 |archive-date=November 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128113911/https://money.cnn.com/2017/11/01/media/npr-michael-oreskes-resigns-fallout/index.html |url-status=live }} Oreskes resigned at the request of CEO Jarl Mohn, was denied severance and separation benefits, and reimbursed NPR $1,800 in expense account charges related to his meetings with women.{{Cite news |last=Folkenflik |first=David |title=Report Detailing Harassment At NPR Cites 'High Level Of Distrust' Of Management |language=en |work=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/20/587284377/report-detailing-harassment-at-npr-cites-high-level-of-distrust-of-management |access-date=December 31, 2022 |archive-date=December 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221231165237/https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/20/587284377/report-detailing-harassment-at-npr-cites-high-level-of-distrust-of-management |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=November 1, 2017 |title=NPR bosses knew about harassment allegations, but kept top editor on job |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/top-newsroom-official-at-npr-resigns-amid-harassment-allegations/2017/11/01/d26d682c-bf1e-11e7-8444-a0d4f04b89eb_story.html |access-date=December 31, 2022 |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=November 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171101202130/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/top-newsroom-official-at-npr-resigns-amid-harassment-allegations/2017/11/01/d26d682c-bf1e-11e7-8444-a0d4f04b89eb_story.html |url-status=live }}

On April 5, 2023, following Elon Musk's acquisition of the American social media platform Twitter, NPR's main Twitter account was designated as "US state-affiliated media". This label was typically reserved for foreign media outlets that directly represented the point of view of their respective governments, like Russia's RT and China's Xinhua.{{Cite web |last=Ladden-Hall |first=Dan |date=April 5, 2023 |title=NPR Labeled 'State-Affiliated Media' on Twitter as Musk Steps Up Press Feud |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/npr-labeled-state-affiliated-media-on-twitter-as-musk-steps-up-press-feud |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405114026/https://www.thedailybeast.com/npr-labeled-state-affiliated-media-on-twitter-as-musk-steps-up-press-feud |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |access-date=April 5, 2023 |website=Daily Beast}}{{Cite web |last=Novak |first=Matt |date=April 5, 2023 |title=Twitter Adds 'State-Affiliated Media' Label To NPR Account Putting It On Par With Russia Today |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattnovak/2023/04/05/twitter-adds-state-affiliated-media-label-to-npr-account-putting-it-on-par-with-russia-today/?sh=4ba401c6635c |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406010257/https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattnovak/2023/04/05/twitter-adds-state-affiliated-media-label-to-npr-account-putting-it-on-par-with-russia-today/?sh=4ba401c6635c |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |access-date=April 5, 2023 |website=Forbes}}{{Cite web |title=Twitter labels NPR as "state-affiliated media" |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/twitter-labels-npr-as-u-s-state-affiliated-media-agency/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405194837/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/twitter-labels-npr-as-u-s-state-affiliated-media-agency/ |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |access-date=April 5, 2023 |website=CBS News |date=April 5, 2023 |language=en-US}} Twitter's designation was widely considered controversial as NPR is an independent news organization that receives only a tiny fraction of its funding from the government. Twitter's previous policy had explicitly mentioned NPR, as well as the United Kingdom's BBC, as examples of networks that were not considered as state-affiliated due to their editorial independence. NPR ceased activity on its main Twitter account in response to the designation.{{cite web |last=Scire |first=Sarah |title=NPR says it won't tweet from @NPR until Twitter removes false "state-affiliated" label |url=https://www.niemanlab.org/2023/04/npr-says-it-wont-tweet-from-npr-until-twitter-removes-false-state-affiliated-label/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408150539/https://www.niemanlab.org/2023/04/npr-says-it-wont-tweet-from-npr-until-twitter-removes-false-state-affiliated-label/ |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |access-date=April 8, 2023 |website=Nieman Lab}}

On April 8, 2023, Twitter changed the designation of NPR's account from "state-affiliated" to "government-funded".{{Cite web |title=Twitter Changes Label On NPR Account From 'State-Affiliated' To 'Government Funded' |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattnovak/2023/04/08/twitter-changes-label-on-npr-account-from-state-affiliated-to-government-funded/?sh=858b17373529 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410062727/https://connatix-d.openx.net/v/1.0/av?auid=539844291&schain=1.0,1!connatix.com,679698455578581,1,,,,&url=www.forbes.com%2Fsites%2Fmattnovak%2F2023%2F04%2F08%2Ftwitter-changes-label-on-npr-account-from-state-af&cb=6742c70b-03cb-4ba5-b3df-dfb0399a0147&vwd=526&vht=296&gdpr=0&gdpr_consent=undefined&us_privacy= |archive-date=April 10, 2023 |access-date=April 9, 2023 |website=Forbes}} On April 10, after managing to get in contact with Musk himself, NPR reporter Bobby Allyn wrote in a tweet that the platform's owner told him he was relying on a list accessible through a Wikipedia category page, named ":Category:Publicly funded broadcasters", in order to determine which news organizations' accounts should be deemed as "government-funded media".{{Cite web |last=Folkenflik |first=David |date=April 12, 2023 |title=NPR quits Twitter after being falsely labeled as 'state-affiliated media' |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/04/12/1169269161/npr-leaves-twitter-government-funded-media-label |access-date=April 12, 2023 |website=NPR |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422231851/https://www.npr.org/2023/04/12/1169269161/npr-leaves-twitter-government-funded-media-label |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Sarah |date=April 11, 2023 |title=Elon Musk says Twitter is using a Wikipedia list to help decide which news organizations are labeled 'government-funded media' |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-using-wikipedia-to-decide-government-funded-media-2023-4 |access-date=April 12, 2023 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US |archive-date=April 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411190614/https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-using-wikipedia-to-decide-government-funded-media-2023-4 |url-status=live }}

On April 12, NPR announced that its accounts would no longer be active on Twitter,{{Cite news |last=Yang |first=Maya |date=April 12, 2023 |title=NPR to quit Twitter after being labelled 'state-affiliated media' |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/apr/12/npr-leaves-twitter-elon-musk-state-media |access-date=April 13, 2023 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412231518/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/apr/12/npr-leaves-twitter-elon-musk-state-media |url-status=live }} citing the platform's "inaccurate and misleading" labeling of NPR as "government-funded media" despite the fact that it receives "less than 1 percent of its $300 million annual budget" from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.{{cite news |last1=Kelley |first1=Lora |last2=Robertson |first2=Katie |date=April 12, 2023 |title=NPR to Suspend Twitter Use After 'Government-Funded' Label |work=New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/12/business/npr-twitter-suspension.html |access-date=April 12, 2023 |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412133912/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/12/business/npr-twitter-suspension.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Wile |first=Rob |date=April 13, 2023 |title=NPR quits Twitter, saying the platform is 'undermining' its credibility |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/npr-quits-twitter-says-platform-undermining-credibility-rcna79322 |access-date=April 13, 2023 |website=NBC News |language=en |archive-date=April 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413004131/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/npr-quits-twitter-says-platform-undermining-credibility-rcna79322 |url-status=live }} In its last post on the platform, the network shared links to its alternative newsletters, websites and social media profiles in a thread.{{Cite tweet |date=April 12, 2023 |title=NPR produces consequential, independent journalism every day in service to the public. Here's where you can find and read our work... |user=NPR |number=1646138100035272704 |access-date=April 12, 2023}}

In an email to the staff explaining the decision, CEO John Lansing allowed individual NPR journalists and staffers to choose for themselves whether to keep using Twitter, while noting that "it would be a disservice to the serious work you all do here to continue to share it on a platform that is associating the federal charter for public media with an abandoning of editorial independence or standards."

After NPR stopped posting on Twitter, Elon Musk threatened to forcefully reassign the @NPR handle to another user if NPR didn't reactivate its Twitter activity.{{Cite news |last=Allyn |first=Bobby |date=May 3, 2023 |title=Elon Musk threatens to reassign @NPR on Twitter to 'another company' |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/05/02/1173422311/elon-musk-npr-twitter-reassign |access-date=March 9, 2025 |work=NPR |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Caldwell |first=Noah |last2=Detrow |first2=Scott |last3=Allyn |first3=Bobby |date=March 8, 2025 |title=From tweets to 2 a.m. emails: What it's like to cover Elon Musk |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/03/08/nx-s1-5310555/from-tweets-to-2-a-m-emails-what-its-like-to-cover-elon-musk |access-date=March 9, 2025 |website=NPR |language=en}}

Source:{{cite web |url=http://www.folklib.net/index/discog/bibliog-npr.shtml |title=FolkLib Index -Music Reference Books by National Public Radio (NPR) |work=www.folklib.net |access-date=May 11, 2017 |archive-date=December 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202095835/https://www.folklib.net/index/discog/bibliog-npr.shtml |url-status=live }}

• The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection by Ted Libbey (1994) {{ISBN|156305051X}}
• The NPR Classical Music Companion: An Essential Guide for Enlightened Listening by Miles Hoffman (1997) {{ISBN|0618619453}}
• The NPR Classical Music Companion: Terms and Concepts from A to Z by Miles Hoffman (1997) {{ISBN|0395707420}}
• The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Classical Music by Tim Smith (2002) {{ISBN|0399527958}}
• The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Jazz by Loren Schoenberg (2002) {{ISBN|039952794X}}
• The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Opera by William Berger (2002) {{ISBN|0399527435}}
• The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Popular Standards by Max Morath (2002) {{ISBN|0399527443}}
• The NPR Curious Listener's Guide To American Folk Music by Kip Lornell (2004) {{ISBN|0399530339}}
• The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to World Music by Chris Nickson (2004) {{ISBN|0399530320}}
• The NPR Curious Listener's Guide To Blues by David Evans (2005) {{ISBN|039953072X}}
• The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Celtic Music by Fiona Ritchie (2005) {{ISBN|0399530711}}
• The NPR Listener's Encyclopedia of Classical Music by Ted Libbey (2006) {{ISBN|0761120726}}

• Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• BBC Radio
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
• List of NPR personnel
• List of NPR stations
• NPR Berlin – before its closure, the only NPR affiliate operated by NPR itself
• Voice of America
• Sound Reporting: The NPR Guide to Audio Journalism and Production

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{cite book |first=James T. |last=Bennett |year=2021 |url=https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-80019-2#toc |title=The History and Politics of Public Radio; A Comprehensive Analysis of Taxpayer-Financed US Broadcasting |publisher=Springer |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-80019-2 |isbn=978-3-030-80019-2 |series=Studies in Public Choice|volume=41 |s2cid=238550758 }}
• {{cite book |last=Gibson |first=George H. |title=Public Broadcasting: The Role of the Federal Government, 1919–1976 |publisher=Praeger Publishers |year=1977 |isbn=9780030228315 |oclc=3167293}}
• {{cite journal |last=Magee |first=Sara |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19376529.2013.823970 |title=All Things Considered: A Content Analysis of National Public Radio's Flagship News Magazine from 1999–2009 |journal=Journal of Radio & Audio Media |year=2013 |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=236–250 |doi=10.1080/19376529.2013.823970|s2cid=144116873 }}
• {{cite book |last=McCauley |first=Michael P. |title=NPR: The Trials and Triumphs of National Public Radio |publisher=Columbia University Press |year=2005 |isbn=9780231121606 |oclc=937175101}}

{{Commons category|National Public Radio}}

{{Wikiquote|National Public Radio}}

{{Library resources box}}

• {{Official website}}
• Elizabeth L. Young papers at the University of Maryland Libraries
• [https://www.npr.org/series/978593267/50-years-of-npr 50 Years of NPR] (report series)
• [https://www.npr.org/series/688409791/npr-ethics-handbook NPR Ethics Handbook]
• {{cite news|last1=Witherspoon|first1=John P.|last2=Estell|first2=Richard D.|last3=Mayes|first3=Bernard D.|last4=Nicholson|first4=Ralph W.|date=February 26, 1970|title=NPR Articles of Incorporation, 1970|work=Current|publisher=American University School of Communication|url=https://current.org/1970/02/npr-articles-of-incorporation-1970/|access-date=January 15, 2025}}

{{NPR}}

{{Lyndon B. Johnson}}

{{NPR Radio stations}}

{{Public broadcasting in the United States}}

{{American broadcast radio}}

{{White House James S. Brady Press Briefing Room Seating Chart}}

{{European Broadcasting Union Members}}

{{World Radio Network}}

{{National Medal of Arts recipients 2000s}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Npr}}

Category:1970 establishments in Washington, D.C.

Category:American companies established in 1970

Category:American radio networks

Category:Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Category:Mass media companies established in 1970

Category:News agencies based in the United States

Category:Peabody Award winners

Category:Podcasting companies

Category:Publicly funded broadcasters

Category:Radio broadcasting companies of the United States

Category:Radio stations established in 1971

Category:United States National Medal of Arts recipients

Category:Sirius XM Radio channels