History of NPR in Timeline

National Public Radio (NPR) is a non-profit media organization based in the U.S. It acts as a syndicator for over 1,000 public radio stations across the country. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with NPR West in Culver City, California, NPR produces and distributes news, cultural, and informational programming. While it is not a radio network in the traditional sense, NPR's programming reaches a vast audience through its member stations and digital platforms. NPR plays a significant role in American journalism and public discourse.

1934: Communications Act of 1934

In 1934, the Communications Act was created.

1967: Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 (PBA)

Executive Order 14290 was signed alleging biased news coverage in violation of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 (PBA).

February 26, 1970: NPR Replaced National Educational Radio Network

On February 26, 1970, NPR replaced the National Educational Radio Network.

1970: National Public Radio legal name since 1970

National Public Radio has been the legal name of NPR since 1970.

April 20, 1971: First NPR Broadcast

On April 20, 1971, NPR aired its first broadcast, covering United States Senate hearings on the Vietnam War.

May 3, 1971: All Things Considered premiered

On May 3, 1971, All Things Considered premiered, hosted by Robert Conley.

1977: NPR became one of three big networks

In 1977, NPR became one of the three major radio networks, joining ABC News Radio and Westwood One, and replacing NBC Radio Network, Mutual Broadcasting System, and CBS News Radio.

1977: NPR Merged with Association of Public Radio Stations

In 1977, NPR merged with the Association of Public Radio Stations, transitioning from a production and distribution organization.

November 5, 1979: Morning Edition premiered

On November 5, 1979, Morning Edition premiered, hosted by Bob Edwards.

1981: Congress amends Communications Act of 1934

In 1981, Congress amended the Communications Act of 1934 to authorize noncommercial station licensees to offer services and facilities in exchange for remuneration.

1981: Amendment to Communications Act establishes temporary commission

The 1981 amendment to the Communications Act also established a temporary commission to identify alternative sources of funding for public broadcasting and study the potential for advertising revenue using limited demonstrations

1983: CPB report on advertising revenue

Along with the 2012 report, a 1983 report about public television specifically, concluded that growth in such underwriting revenue was unlikely

1983: Funding crisis forced changes

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.

1983: NPR almost bankrupt

In 1983, NPR faced a financial crisis due to efforts to expand services, leading to a deficit of nearly $7 million. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting provided a loan to prevent bankruptcy.

1983: Temporary commission releases final report

In 1983, the temporary commission released its final report, finding that the prospect of significant advertising revenue was limited and recommended that Congress continue providing the appropriation to Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

1984: FCC adopts underwriting policy

In 1984, the FCC adopted a policy allowing noncommercial stations to broadcast underwriting spots from for-profit entities that provided donations or underwriting.

1988: NPR broadcasts Declaration of Independence

From 1988, NPR began broadcasting an annual reading of the United States Declaration of Independence over the radio.

January 1994: Delano Lewis became NPR's CEO and president

In January 1994, Delano Lewis left his position as president of C&P Telephone to become NPR's CEO and president.

1994: NPR cancels Mumia Abu-Jamal commentaries

In 1994, NPR cancelled a series of three-minute commentaries by Mumia Abu-Jamal on All Things Considered after objections from the Fraternal Order of Police and members of the U.S. Congress.

August 1998: Delano Lewis resigned

In August 1998, Delano Lewis resigned from his position as NPR's CEO and president.

November 1998: Kevin Klose hired as president and CEO

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.

1998: Lisa Simeone Joins NPR

In 1998, Lisa Simeone began working for NPR.

1999: Public Interactive Founded

In 1999, Public Interactive, an independent, for-profit company, was founded.

November 2002: NPR West opened

In November 2002, NPR West, a 25,000-square-foot production facility, opened in Culver City, Los Angeles County, California.

2002: Lisa Simeone Leaves NPR

In 2002, Lisa Simeone left NPR.

November 2003: NPR Received Gift From Joan B. Kroc Estate

In November 2003, NPR received over $200 million from the estate of Joan B. Kroc, the widow of Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald's Corporation.

June 2004: PRI Acquires Public Interactive

In June 2004, Public Radio International (PRI) acquired Public Interactive, an independent, for-profit company founded in 1999, and transformed it into a non-profit entity.

2004: Kroc gift increased NPR's budget

In 2004, the Kroc gift increased NPR's budget by over 50% to $153 million, with $34 million deposited in its endowment.

August 2005: NPR Enters Podcasting

In August 2005, NPR entered podcasting with a directory of over 170 programs created by NPR and member stations.

2005: NPR budget

In 2005, NPR's budget was about $120 million.

2005: Harris Survey: NPR Most Trusted News Source

In 2005, a Harris telephone survey identified NPR as the most trusted news source in the United States.

September 2006: Ken Stern became chief executive

In September 2006, Ken Stern became the chief executive of NPR, succeeding Kevin Klose.

2007: GAO report about public television

Along with the 2012 and 1983 reports, a 2007 Government Accountability Office report about public television specifically, concluded that growth in such underwriting revenue was unlikely

March 2008: Stern To Step Down From Role As CEO

In March 2008, the NPR Board announced that Ken 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".

July 2008: Public Interactive Subscribers

By July 2008, Public Interactive had 170 subscribers operating 325 public radio and television stations and clients such as Car Talk, The World, and The Tavis Smiley Show.

December 10, 2008: NPR Announces Workforce Reduction and Program Cancellations

On December 10, 2008, NPR announced it would reduce its workforce by 7% and cancel the news programs Day to Day and News & Notes, due to a drop in corporate underwriting during the 2008 financial crisis.

2008: Pew Research Center analyzes CPB data on underwriting revenue for NPR member stations.

Analysis of CPB data published by the Pew Research Center in August 2023 found that underwriting revenue for NPR member stations from 2008 through 2021 was mostly flat

2008: NPR's Weekly Listenership

In 2008, NPR had 20.9 million weekly listeners.

2008: NPR's Facebook Page Creation

In 2008, college student and fan Geoff Campbell started NPR's Facebook page, which NPR quickly took over.

2008: Record NPR Programming Reach

In the fall of 2008, NPR programming reached a record 27.5 million people weekly, with NPR stations reaching 32.7 million listeners overall.

March 2, 2009: Vivian Schiller Discusses Underwriting Revenues

On March 2, 2009, NPR President and CEO Vivian Schiller addressed the decline in corporate underwriting and foundation grants during a speech before the National Press Club, noting its impact on NPR's revenues, similar to other media outlets.

2009: Federal sources provided 11.3% of revenues

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.

2009: Pew Research Center analyzes CPB data on underwriting revenue for NPR member stations.

Analysis of CPB data published by the Pew Research Center in August 2023 found that underwriting revenue for NPR member stations from 2008 through 2021 was mostly flat and fell below 2009 levels in 2021 following the COVID-19 recession.

2009: Corporate sponsorship

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

2009: NPR Bans Use of 'Torture'

In 2009, NPR controversially banned the use of the word "torture" in reference to the George W. Bush administration's "enhanced interrogation techniques," with the NPR Ombudswoman defending the policy as avoiding taking sides.

2009: NPR Revenues and Funding

In 2009, NPR's revenue sources included programming fees from member stations (50%), funds from on-air pledge drives, corporate underwriting, state and local governments, educational institutions, and the CPB, 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.

June 2010: NPR to refer to itself as NPR on-air and online

In June 2010, NPR announced that it would consistently refer to itself as NPR on-air and online, as NPR is the common name for the organization.

October 2010: $1.8 Million Grant from Open Society Institute

In October 2010, NPR accepted a $1.8 million grant from the Open Society Institute for the Impact of Government project, aiming to add 100 journalists at NPR member stations.

October 20, 2010: NPR Fires Juan Williams

On October 20, 2010, NPR terminated Senior News Analyst Juan Williams's contract after remarks he made on the Fox News Channel.

2010: NPR's Facebook Page Growth

By 2010, NPR's Facebook page had grown to nearly 4 million fans, representing the company's focus on a younger audience.

2010: NPR revenues totaled $180 million

In 2010, NPR's revenues reached $180 million, primarily from programming fees, grants, contributions, and sponsorships.

2010: NPR's Twitter Followers Demographics

In a 2010 survey, NPR discovered that its Twitter followers were younger, more socially connected, and more likely to access content through digital platforms, including the NPR website, podcasts, and mobile apps.

January 4, 2011: Ellen Weiss ultimatum

On January 4, 2011, Ellen Weiss, NPR's top news executive, was given an ultimatum to resign or be fired following the firing of Juan Williams.

January 6, 2011: Ellen Weiss quits NPR

On January 6, 2011, NPR announced that Ellen Weiss had quit after being given an ultimatum to resign or be fired.

March 2011: Vivian Schiller resigns

In March 2011, CEO Vivian Schiller resigned over fallout from controversial comments made by Ronald Schiller and the firing of Juan Williams.

March 2011: NPR Reveals Restructuring Proposal

In March 2011, NPR announced a restructuring proposal where Boston-based Public Interactive would become NPR Digital Services, separate from Washington D.C.–based NPR Digital Media.

March 2011: WNYC Program Discusses Liberal Bias

In March 2011, NPR station WNYC in New York City addressed the question of purported liberal bias on its On the Media program, featuring conservative listeners and studies assessing bias in news media.

2011: NPR Launches Online Advertising Network

In 2011, NPR introduced its online advertising network, enabling member stations to run geographically targeted ads from national sponsors and boost advertising revenue.

2012: Pew Research Center Survey on NPR Audience Political Leaning

A 2012 Pew Research Center survey revealed that the NPR audience leans Democratic (17% Republican, 37% independent, 43% Democratic) and politically moderate (21% conservative, 39% moderate, 36% liberal).

2012: Federal sources provided 10.9% of revenues

According to CPB, in 2012, 10.9% of the revenues for Public Radio came from federal sources.

2012: Pew Research Center Survey on NPR Listeners

According to the 2012 Pew Research Center News Consumption Survey, NPR listeners tend to be highly educated, with 54% being college graduates and 21% having some college; 43% earn over $75,000, 27% earn between $30,000 and $75,000.

2012: CPB issues report on corporate underwriting

In 2012, the CPB issued a report noting that corporate underwriting accounted for less than one-fifth of the revenue for public television and radio stations and had declined substantially due to the Great Recession.

April 2013: NPR moved to new location

In April 2013, NPR moved from its home of 19 years to new offices and production facilities at 1111 North Capitol Street NE.

June 2013: NPR canceled Talk of the Nation

In June 2013, NPR canceled the weekday call-in show Talk of the Nation.

September 2013: Voluntary Buyout Plan to Reduce Staff

In September 2013, NPR offered a voluntary buyout plan to reduce staff by 10 percent.

2013: Impact of Government project by 2013

By 2013, the Impact of Government project was intended to add at least 100 journalists at NPR member radio stations in all 50 states.

2013: Launch of Center Stage on NPR Homepage

In 2013, NPR launched Center Stage, a combination of native advertising and banner ads prominently displayed on the NPR homepage, with Squarespace as the initial launch partner.

July 2014: NPR Launches NPR One App

In July 2014, NPR introduced NPR One, a mobile app for iOS and Android smartphones, designed to facilitate live streaming of local NPR stations and easy podcast listening through autoplay.

2014: Pew Poll on Trust in NPR

A 2014 Pew poll reported that 55% of adults who had heard of NPR trusted it, a similar level to CNN, NBC, and ABC.

2014: NPR's Twitter Presence

As of 2014, NPR had multiple Twitter accounts, with most survey respondents following between two and five NPR accounts, including topical, show-specific, and on-air staff accounts.

2014: NPR to Increase Revenue with Relevant Brands

In 2014, NPR CEO Jarl Mohn announced plans to increase revenue by partnering with brands deemed more relevant to the NPR audience and charging higher rates for underwriting NPR programs.

March 2015: Podcast Downloads

By March 2015, users downloaded podcasts produced only by NPR 94 million times, with podcasts like Fresh Air and the TED Radio Hour frequently appearing on the iTunes Top Podcasts list.

November 2, 2015: NPR Bylaws Changed

On November 2, 2015, NPR Members approved a change in the NPR Bylaws to expand the board of directors to 23 directors.

2015: Corporate funding for the PBS News Hour

Analysis of CPB data published by the Pew Research Center in August 2023 found corporate funding for the PBS News Hour ranged from 17% to 23% of total revenue from 2015 through 2022.

2015: Michael Oreskes joins NPR

In 2015, Michael Oreskes became senior vice president of news and editorial director.

2015: NPR Terrestrial and Podcast Audience Demographics

In 2015, NPR's terrestrial public radio audience was 87% white and the podcast audience was 67% white.

2015: Return to balanced budget

NPR planned to return to a balanced budget by the 2015 fiscal year.

2016: NPR One Recognized as Best App

In 2016, The New York Times recognized NPR One as one of the "best apps".

2016: 2016 United States presidential election

In 2016, after the United States presidential election, according to Uri Berliner, NPR demonstrated a left-wing bias in its reporting.

July 4, 2017: NPR's Declaration of Independence tweets spark controversy

On July 4, 2017, NPR's tweets of the Declaration of Independence were met with opposition as some Donald Trump supporters mistook the words as being directed towards the president.

October 2017: Michael Oreskes resigns amid sexual harassment allegations

In October 2017, Michael Oreskes, NPR's senior vice president of news, resigned after sexual harassment charges were leveled against him.

2017: Nielsen Ratings Data for NPR Programs

According to 2017 Nielsen ratings data, NPR's signature morning news program, Morning Edition, drew 14.63 million listeners a week, with its afternoon newsmagazine, All Things Considered, a close second, with 14.6 million listeners a week.

2017: NPR's Listenership Reaches High of 37.7 million

In 2017, NPR reached a high of 37.7 million weekly listeners.

March 2018: Drive-time program audience size

As of March 2018, NPR's drive-time programs, Morning Edition and All Things Considered, had an audience of 14.9 million and 14.7 million per week, respectively.

May 2018: NPR Acquires Pocket Casts

In May 2018, a group led by NPR acquired the podcasting app Pocket Casts.

September 30, 2018: Operating revenues were $235 million

For the year ended September 30, 2018, NPR's total operating revenues reached $235 million.

December 2018: NPR Launches Podcast Analytics Technology

In December 2018, NPR launched a new podcast analytics technology called Remote Audio Data (RAD).

December 2018: Washington Post Reports on NPR Temp Staff

In December 2018, The Washington Post reported that between 20 and 22 percent of NPR staff were classified as temps.

2018: PRI and PRX Merge

In 2018, Public Radio Exchange (PRX) merged with Public Radio International, which also became a 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.

September 2019: Operating revenues were almost $259 million

By September 2019, NPR's total operating revenues increased to almost $259 million.

2019: Pew Survey Finds Overwhelmingly Democratic Audience

A late 2019 survey by Pew indicated that NPR's audience overwhelmingly leaned Democratic, with 87% identifying as Democrats or leaning Democratic, and 12% as Republicans.

April 2020: Kelly McBride Became Public Editor

In April 2020, Kelly McBride became the Public Editor for NPR.

2020: NPR Declines Coverage of Hunter Biden Laptop Controversy

During the 2020 election, NPR declined to cover the controversy surrounding a New York Post article on the Hunter Biden laptop controversy.

2020: NPR's budget released

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.

July 16, 2021: Automattic Acquires Pocket Casts from NPR

On July 16, 2021, Automattic acquired the podcasting app Pocket Casts from NPR.

2021: Pew Research Center analyzes CPB data on underwriting revenue for NPR member stations.

2021: NPR and the Twitter Generation

In 2021, NPR was described as "leveraging the Twitter generation" due to its use of Twitter as a primary information vehicle, with 67% of its Twitter followers also listening to NPR on the radio.

2021: NPR broadcasts Declaration of Independence

Until 2021, NPR broadcast an annual reading of the United States Declaration of Independence over the radio.

July 4, 2022: NPR replaces Declaration reading with equality discussion

On July 4, 2022, NPR did not hold its annual reading of the Declaration of Independence, and instead host Steve Inskeep held a discussion on "what equality means".

November 2022: Spending Reduction Announced

In late November 2022, NPR's CEO, John Lansing, announced that the organization needed to reduce spending by $10 million during that fiscal year due to a drop in revenue from sponsors.

2022: NPR's Weekly Listenership

According to NPR's data, in 2022, approximately 30.7 million listeners tuned into its programs each week.

2022: Corporate funding for the PBS News Hour

Analysis of CPB data published by the Pew Research Center in August 2023 found corporate funding for the PBS News Hour ranged from 17% to 23% of total revenue from 2015 through 2022.

2022: $7 million deficit equivalent to $19 million in 2022

The $7 million deficit faced by NPR in 1983 is equivalent to $19 million in 2022 dollars.

February 2023: Layoffs Announced Due to Reduced Advertising Revenue

In February 2023, NPR announced it would lay off approximately 10 percent of its workforce due to reduced advertising revenue.

April 5, 2023: Twitter designates NPR as "US state-affiliated media"

On April 5, 2023, Twitter designated NPR's main Twitter account as "US state-affiliated media", causing NPR to cease activity on the platform.

April 8, 2023: Twitter changes NPR's designation to "government-funded"

On April 8, 2023, Twitter changed the designation of NPR's account from "state-affiliated" to "government-funded".

August 2023: Pew Research Center analyzes CPB data on underwriting revenue

2023: NPR Partners with Spotify for Targeted Advertisements

In 2023, NPR collaborated with Spotify to utilize the Spotify Audience Network platform for targeted advertisements within NPR programming, filling unsold ad slots.

January 2024: Katherine Maher Named New CEO

In January 2024, NPR's board named former Wikimedia Foundation CEO Katherine Maher as its new CEO, effective late March.

January 2024: Board of Directors

As of January 2024, the board of directors of NPR included the following members.

October 2024: NPR Programs Still in Production

As of October 2024, several NPR programs are still actively in production.

2024: Uri Berliner Alleges Left-Wing Bias at NPR

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 Gaza war. Berliner later resigned after being suspended.

January 2025: FCC Chair orders investigation of NPR underwriting sponsorships

In January 2025, FCC Chair Brendan Carr ordered an investigation of NPR member stations' corporate underwriting sponsorships.

January 31, 2025: NPR to Move Out of Pentagon Workspace

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.

March 2025: CPB sues FEMA over funding halt

In March 2025, the CPB filed a lawsuit against the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for halting their funding under the Next Generation Warning System Grant Program within the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System.

May 1, 2025: Trump signs Executive Order to end federal funding for NPR and PBS

On May 1, 2025, U.S. president Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14290, titled "Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media", to end federal funding for NPR and PBS.

July 2025: CPB Announces Orderly Wind-Down and Furloughs

Following enactment of the rescissions law in July 2025, CPB announced an orderly wind-down of operations and furloughs as funding was withdrawn.

October 2025: News Organizations Reject New Defense Department Media-Access Rules

In October 2025, major news organizations, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN, Fox News, and NPR, rejected new Defense Department media-access rules they said restricted independent reporting.

2025: Trust in Public Media

A 2025 survey of likely voters found that 53% trusted public media in the United States compared to 35% for the media in general.

2025: Pew Research Center Poll on NPR News Consumption

A Pew Research Center poll in 2025 indicated that about 20% of Americans regularly get their news from NPR.

2025: End of annual grants from CPB

In 2025, annual grants from the publicly funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting to NPR are scheduled to end.

2025: Rescissions Act alters financial outlook for CPB

In 2025, the Rescissions Act altered the financial outlook for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) by reclaiming unspent allocations and reducing advance funding.