6 ms·

What this article doesn't seem to explain is how NPR is supposed to monetize its content via podcast or NPR One - currently monetization is handled by the local

by Aloha 11y ago

What this article doesn't seem to explain is how NPR is supposed to monetize its content via podcast or NPR One - currently monetization is handled by the local affiliate via pledge drives, then paid for by subscription upstream. It seems to me that promoting NPR One would draw revenue from local affiliates - without replacing it elsewhere.

ipsum2 11y ago
NPR has advertisements on their podcasts, usually at the beginning and/or end of a show.
- cptskippy 11y ago
  It's not just on their podcasts, WABE in Atlanta has advertisements on the air.
  - jessaustin 11y ago
    They all do, but for the most part they're much better-timed and less crass than ads on commercial radio. Usually just a simple, "programming this hour is brought to you with help from our listeners and from the fine folks at Bob's Bicycle Barn."
    - narrowrail 11y ago
      I just want to say as an NPR-junkie of 20+ years, the lady that currently reads the promotional announcements makes me want to smash my phone, so I now mute quite often.
      - unethical_ban 11y ago
        There's the current one, but the girl who briefly took over for the longtime male announcer was very dull indeed.
- Outdoorsman 11y ago
  >NPR has advertisements on their podcasts, usually at the beginning and/or end of a show.< I would love to see all advertising done this way--announce who makes the content possible, then get out of the way of the content...remind us again at the end where the funding came from if you wish...tasteful, dignified, makes the point, and grants recognition... When advertising annoys people it's almost always because it gets in the way of the content...it distracts from what one is there to actually "see"... Something so simple you'd think almost anyone could grasp the concept, yet so many advertisers get advertising completely wrong...web pages are chock full of garish flashing click-bait nonsense... Disclosure: I am a long-time NPR listener and local station supporter...
  - eslaught 11y ago
    I think public services in general have a different concept of what advertising means, compared to the private sector. It's almost like the advertiser is a donor rather than a client. With private sector advertising, I almost expect the ads to be garish. If the only goal is to make money, then market forces push for the ads to become more and more invasive until you basically can't view the content thanks to all the ads. I'm sure I'm echoing what many people have said before, but we need to find a way for content to stop being a cost center and start to become the actual source of revenue.
  - artine 11y ago
    I wish whoever downvoted you would explain why, because I agree 100% with your expressed sentiment.
  - thejosh 11y ago
    Generic internet podcasts do this as well, sometimes with one in the middle. Tell us we're being advertised to, give us a good deal relevant to our interests, you and the advertiser both win.
    - Houshalter 11y ago
      Problem is it's the same few companies every time in every podcast. There are apparently only 3 companies that podcast listeners are interested in, or at least that care to advertise to podcast listeners.
cookiecaper 11y ago
Aren't local affiliates an artifact of an outmoded content delivery system (terrestrial radio)? I understand that it's sad to have the local affiliate hurt, but I think the age of affiliate broadcasting is drawing to an end. It's something that will become a larger issue in the mid-term future, IMO.
- parfe 11y ago
  Local affiliates are independent stations with their own production departments. Some shows get picked up for national syndication (e.g. Car Talk from WBUR, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me WHYY, On The Media WNYC, Prarie Home Companion by Minnesota Public Radio ) while other shows might target the local market which won't make sense as a national broadcast. Local affiliates can cross license content directly between each other, or from NPR, PRI, BBC, American Public Radio, and Public Radio Exchange, etc. Local affiliates are not simple repeater stations, as you seem to believe.
  - eli 11y ago
    I was under the impression that most local affiliates do not produce any content licensed by anyone else and just license content from other sources.
    - Aloha 11y ago
      No, local affiliates often produce between 20% and 80% of their programming.
    - CapitalistCartr 11y ago
      Often true in commercial radio land, but not on NPR. Things are much more loosey-goosey there. Probably because of shoe-string budgets.
    - palidanx 11y ago
      In the Southern California market, we have two big NPR stations (KPCC and KCRW). Both stations actually produce a lot of their own radio shows, and supplement some nationally syndicated content. When I visited Oregon, I noticed most of the shows were nationally syndicated, and I suspect that might have to do with how much money they can get from their local regions.
cmdrfred 11y ago
"And remember folks if you'd like to support public broadcasting visit our donate page, or shop.npr.com when shopping on Amazon to help keep these podcasts on the air."

by Aloha 11y ago

ipsum2 11y ago

NPR has advertisements on their podcasts, usually at the beginning and/or end of a show.

cptskippy 11y ago
It's not just on their podcasts, WABE in Atlanta has advertisements on the air.
- jessaustin 11y ago
  They all do, but for the most part they're much better-timed and less crass than ads on commercial radio. Usually just a simple, "programming this hour is brought to you with help from our listeners and from the fine folks at Bob's Bicycle Barn."
  - narrowrail 11y ago
    I just want to say as an NPR-junkie of 20+ years, the lady that currently reads the promotional announcements makes me want to smash my phone, so I now mute quite often.
    - unethical_ban 11y ago
      There's the current one, but the girl who briefly took over for the longtime male announcer was very dull indeed.
Outdoorsman 11y ago
>NPR has advertisements on their podcasts, usually at the beginning and/or end of a show.< I would love to see all advertising done this way--announce who makes the content possible, then get out of the way of the content...remind us again at the end where the funding came from if you wish...tasteful, dignified, makes the point, and grants recognition... When advertising annoys people it's almost always because it gets in the way of the content...it distracts from what one is there to actually "see"... Something so simple you'd think almost anyone could grasp the concept, yet so many advertisers get advertising completely wrong...web pages are chock full of garish flashing click-bait nonsense... Disclosure: I am a long-time NPR listener and local station supporter...
- eslaught 11y ago
  I think public services in general have a different concept of what advertising means, compared to the private sector. It's almost like the advertiser is a donor rather than a client. With private sector advertising, I almost expect the ads to be garish. If the only goal is to make money, then market forces push for the ads to become more and more invasive until you basically can't view the content thanks to all the ads. I'm sure I'm echoing what many people have said before, but we need to find a way for content to stop being a cost center and start to become the actual source of revenue.
- artine 11y ago
  I wish whoever downvoted you would explain why, because I agree 100% with your expressed sentiment.
- thejosh 11y ago
  Generic internet podcasts do this as well, sometimes with one in the middle. Tell us we're being advertised to, give us a good deal relevant to our interests, you and the advertiser both win.
  - Houshalter 11y ago
    Problem is it's the same few companies every time in every podcast. There are apparently only 3 companies that podcast listeners are interested in, or at least that care to advertise to podcast listeners.

cookiecaper 11y ago

Aren't local affiliates an artifact of an outmoded content delivery system (terrestrial radio)? I understand that it's sad to have the local affiliate hurt, but I think the age of affiliate broadcasting is drawing to an end. It's something that will become a larger issue in the mid-term future, IMO.

parfe 11y ago
Local affiliates are independent stations with their own production departments. Some shows get picked up for national syndication (e.g. Car Talk from WBUR, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me WHYY, On The Media WNYC, Prarie Home Companion by Minnesota Public Radio ) while other shows might target the local market which won't make sense as a national broadcast. Local affiliates can cross license content directly between each other, or from NPR, PRI, BBC, American Public Radio, and Public Radio Exchange, etc. Local affiliates are not simple repeater stations, as you seem to believe.
- eli 11y ago
  I was under the impression that most local affiliates do not produce any content licensed by anyone else and just license content from other sources.
  - Aloha 11y ago
    No, local affiliates often produce between 20% and 80% of their programming.
  - CapitalistCartr 11y ago
    Often true in commercial radio land, but not on NPR. Things are much more loosey-goosey there. Probably because of shoe-string budgets.
  - palidanx 11y ago
    In the Southern California market, we have two big NPR stations (KPCC and KCRW). Both stations actually produce a lot of their own radio shows, and supplement some nationally syndicated content. When I visited Oregon, I noticed most of the shows were nationally syndicated, and I suspect that might have to do with how much money they can get from their local regions.

cmdrfred 11y ago

"And remember folks if you'd like to support public broadcasting visit our donate page, or shop.npr.com when shopping on Amazon to help keep these podcasts on the air."