0 Audience Trends & Opportunity

1 Audience opportunity study engaged core, fringe, and non-listeners QUESTIONS Is there growth potential? Who could be part of our future audience? How do we grow the audience on all platforms while continuing to serve our core? What would attract diverse and younger news and information consumers?

2 Study provides preliminary answers to key questions Is there growth potential? Yes! And it represents a sizeable opportunity to more than double existing audience. Who is our best growth audience? We have identified three categories of listeners, each with distinct news and information habits and needs.

3 Three groups of likely public radio listeners, with unique motivations but similar potential Dutiful Aggregators Motivation: sense of obligation to be informed important “It’s important to learn about and understand the world around me.” 39% weekly listeners to NPR Team Leaders Motivation: Leadership share information “I want to be informed so that I can share information with others.” 30% weekly listeners to NPR Voracious Voyagers Motivation: Curiosity passion for learning “I have a passion for learning and discovering.” 25% weekly listeners to NPR

4 Three groups – a deeper look Dutiful Aggregators (19% of sample) Team Captains (21% of Sample) Voracious Voyagers (21% of Sample) 45% Age % non-white Even political split Avid media consumers Shades of gray Overwhelmed - much to know and do 39% top news – local TV “Education is important to me”; “I don’t believe in absolutes” Opportunity: simplifying their chaotic media life 50% age % non-white Liberal and science- minded Prone to dive deep Technology, culture Public radio evangelists 54% top news – web portal “There are so many things I still have left to do in life” Opportunity: love depth; increase listening occasions 45% age % non-white 41% conservative Optimistic, self-confident, enthusiastic Strong opinions 52% top news – local TV “I believe there’s something out there that is bigger than all of us”; “Spending time with my family is important to me” Opportunity: balance and headlines

5 Preliminary answers to other key questions How do we grow the audience, while continuing to serve our core? Overcome awareness barrier: over half of non-listeners have only name recognition or are completely unfamiliar with NPR. Increase brand, content, and physical accessibility. Brand: Preserve the smart - ditch the stodgy or elite. Content: Breaking and local news are cost of entry; energize the tone; range of perspectives and balance Physical: Increase convenience –double down on efforts to reach out on all platforms. What does it mean to serve diverse communities and younger listeners? Younger and diverse targets in all three groups. Awareness and accessibility consistent issues. Hearing and seeing themselves in the programming is critical.

6 Brand perception overlap between listeners & non-listeners Top Positive Perceptions of NPRTop Negative Perceptions of NPR

7 Tune-in hurdles: urgency, awareness, tone NPR Tune-In Hurdles (% Major Reason) “NPR I feel is mostly for educated adults from middle class and up. That is my impression.” -Male, age 25-34, Hispanic/Latino, Emerging Platform User “ ” “I think it [NPR] can be clever and quirky, and smart and insightful. But I don’t choose to listen to it because it’s too much talking for me.” -Female, age 35-44, White/Caucasian, Lookalike “ ” “If a robot were a radio it would be NPR.” -Male, age 35-44, White/Caucasian Lookalike “ ”

8 Sharing & integrating findings into our work Detailed findings to be shared across public radio community At conferences: PRPD, ERPM, WSPR Webinars: PRPD, DEI, PRNDI Online: NPR Member Station site Timing: September – November NPR Work Integration Senior leadership and editorial leadership Internal and external work teams Action plans across news, digital media, programming, communications and member & program services