Table of Contents
Hundreds of local and regional radio and television stations make up the U.S. public media system.
On the radio side, organizations such as NPR and Public Radio Exchange (PRX) produce and distribute programming, reaching audiences through local stations as well as digital channels. Individual stations, such as New York’s WNYC and Chicago’s WBEZ, produce nationally syndicated original journalism as well.
As for television, PBS NewsHour produces an evening newscast that airs on local PBS stations around the country. The organization has a digital operation as well.
On the whole, the news offerings of U.S. public broadcasters have been marked by relative financial stability, with some declines in audience since 2020. Explore the patterns and longitudinal data about public broadcasting below. (Further data on podcasting is available in a separate fact sheet.)
Audience
The top 20 NPR-affiliated public radio stations (by listenership) had on average a total weekly listenership of about 8 million in 2022, down 10% from 2021. (This includes listeners of NPR programming as well as original or other syndicated content aired on these stations.)
| Year | Listenership |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 8,724,100 |
| 2016 | 10,212,600 |
| 2017 | 11,210,500 |
| 2018 | 10,413,500 |
| 2019 | 10,112,500 |
| 2020 | 9,164,100 |
| 2021 | 9,200,000 |
| 2022 | 8,277,000 |
Note: Beginning in 2018, this method has been updated from prior years to eliminate duplication of audiences and account for audiences outside of the home market.
Source: NPR, based on data from Nielsen Audio National Regional Database, for persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, midnight-midnight.
When looking specifically at NPR programming across all stations that carry it, weekly terrestrial broadcast listenership declined by 6% between 2021 and 2022. (Traditional radio listening is “terrestrial,” i.e., coming from radio broadcast towers rather than satellites or the internet.) About 23.5 million average weekly listeners tuned in to NPR programming during the year, down from 25.1 million in 2021, according to internal data provided by the organization.
The terrestrial audience from PRX, which distributes programs such as The World and The Takeaway, declined to about 6.7 million average weekly listeners, a 24% drop since 2021.
Weekly broadcast audience of NPR and PRX
| Year | Listenership |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 25300000 |
| 2006 | 25,500,000 |
| 2007 | 25,500,000 |
| 2008 | 26,400,000 |
| 2009 | 26,400,000 |
| 2010 | 27,200,000 |
| 2011 | 26,800,000 |
| 2012 | 26,000,000 |
| 2013 | 27,300,000 |
| 2014 | 26,200,000 |
| 2015 | 26,000,000 |
| 2016 | 29,700,000 |
| 2017 | 30,100,000 |
| 2018 | 28,500,000 |
| 2019 | 28,000,000 |
| 2020 | 26,100,000 |
| 2021 | 25,100,000 |
| 2022 | 23,500,000 |
Source: NPR, based on data from Nielsen Audio Nationwide, for persons 12+.
| Year | Listenership |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 8,132,000 |
| 2016 | 8,861,000 |
| 2017 | 8,813,000 |
| 2018 | 9,666,300 |
| 2019 | 9,583,900 |
| 2020 | 9,476,600 |
| 2021 | 8,884,700 |
| 2022 | 6,719,000 |
Source: PRX, based on data from fall 2022 Nielsen Audio Nationwide.
NPR’s broadcasting reach remained mostly stable between 2020 and 2022 in terms of both the number of member stations (stations either owned or operated by member organizations) and the number of stations airing any NPR programming (which includes member stations). The number of member organizations – flagship educational and community organizations that operate at least one station – stood at 249, down slightly from 251 the previous year.
Broadcasting reach of NPR
| NPR member stations | All stations (member and nonmember) airing NPR programming | |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 849 | 1001 |
| 2014 | 946 | 1029 |
| 2015 | 972 | 1054 |
| 2016 | 990 | 1072 |
| 2017 | 991 | 1074 |
| 2018 | 1001 | 1074 |
| 2019 | 1011 | 1076 |
| 2020 | 1020 | 1069 |
| 2021 | 1040 | 1068 |
| 2022 | 1053 | 1066 |
Source: Information provided by NPR.
| NPR member organizations | |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 269 |
| 2014 | 263 |
| 2015 | 265 |
| 2016 | 264 |
| 2017 | 260 |
| 2018 | 263 |
| 2019 | 265 |
| 2020 | 254 |
| 2021 | 251 |
| 2022 | 249 |
Source: Information provided by NPR.
In 2022, 936 stations were airing programming from PRX, roughly the same as in 2021.
| Year | Stations |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 836 |
| 2017 | 830 |
| 2018 | 849 |
| 2019 | 907 |
| 2020 | 927 |
| 2021 | 935 |
| 2022 | 936 |
Source: Information provided by PRX.
NPR’s digital platforms continue to be an important part of its reach. The NPR One app, which offers a stream of individual shows and podcasts, had a lower average number of total completed sessions in 2022 than in the previous year among Android users but saw increases among iPhone users. (A completed session is any instance in which a user starts and stops using the app.) The NPR News app, which offers livestreams from individual stations and digital content, increased sharply in completed sessions among iPhone users in 2020 but has since declined.
| Year | NPR News: iPhone | NPR News: Android | NPR One: iPhone | NPR One: Android | NPR News: iPad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 6947956 | 2913814 | 2734069 | ||
| 2015 | 7826679 | 3613494 | 758531 | 460263 | 1610358 |
| 2016 | 11433558 | 5005041 | 2649326 | 1326320 | 1630880 |
| 2017 | 14502478 | 8242722 | 4462950 | 2396494 | 1488862 |
| 2018 | 6756009 | 4506901 | 2984181 | 1248160 | |
| 2019 | 19167542 | 5384844 | 4362124 | 2302035 | 1050676 |
| 2020 | 26846656 | 6386130 | 4406649 | 2185129 | 1170398 |
| 2021 | 20950103 | 4658916 | 3548046 | 1954310 | 862071 |
| 2022 | 17823993 | 4302722 | 4127832 | 1508968 | 670603 |
Source: NPR, based on Google Analytics data for January-December and iPhone News App data for January-August of each year. As of 2022, NPR One data for Android and iPhone is now sourced from Firebase.
The audience for PBS NewsHour declined slightly after an increase in 2020: In 2022, it attracted about 900,000 viewers on average, down from roughly 1 million in 2021 and 1.2 million in 2020.
| Year | Total average viewership |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,007,000 |
| 2017 | 1,187,000 |
| 2018 | 1,110,000 |
| 2019 | 1,018,000 |
| 2020 | 1,197,000 |
| 2021 | 989,000 |
| 2022 | 882,000 |
Source: Information provided by PBS NewsHour, based on Nielsen NPower.
Economics
The financial picture for news outlets in public radio appeared mostly strong both locally and nationally.
At the national level, NPR’s total operating revenue in 2022 was $316.7 million, an increase of 8% from the previous year. PRX was down about 17% from 2021, falling to about $36.1 million in total revenue for 2022.
Total revenue for NPR and PRX
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $195,900,000 |
| 2016 | $213,100,000 |
| 2017 | $232,800,000 |
| 2018 | $251,300,000 |
| 2019 | $276,000,000 |
| 2020 | $270,100,000 |
| 2021 | $293,000,000 |
| 2022 | $316,700,000 |
Source: Information provided by NPR.
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $17,400,000 |
| 2016 | $21,900,000 |
| 2017 | $18,100,000 |
| 2018 | $18,800,000 |
| 2019 | $41,600,000 |
| 2020 | $37,600,000 |
| 2021 | $43,600,000 |
| 2022 | $36,100,000 |
Note: Data for 2015-2018 is for PRI only.
Source: Information provided by PRX.
At the local public radio level, an analysis of the public filings provided by 129 of the largest news-oriented licensees (organizations that operate local public radio stations) shows that in fiscal year 2021, total revenue for this group was $1.2 billion.
| Year | Total revenue |
|---|---|
| 2008 | $696,204,389 |
| 2009 | $666,338,114 |
| 2010 | $722,893,464 |
| 2011 | $776,343,600 |
| 2012 | $783,804,461 |
| 2013 | $820,010,203 |
| 2014 | $860,767,759 |
| 2015 | $848,355,098 |
| 2016 | $886,019,807 |
| 2017 | $940,900,239 |
| 2018 | $968,394,761 |
| 2019 | $989,733,531 |
| 2020 | $1,068,270,260 |
| 2021 | $1,167,852,635 |
Note: All figures are fiscal year, inflation-adjusted calculations. Data for these licensees was aggregated and provided by Mark Fuerst, director, Public Media Futures, using the Annual Financial Reports submitted by each licensee to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
Source: Public Media Futures, a project funded by the Wyncote Foundation.
This revenue for local public radio comes from a range of streams, but individual giving (which includes member revenue and major gifts) and underwriting (from businesses and foundations as well as other nonprofit organizations) are two key sources of funding. Among the 129 news-oriented licensees studied here, individual giving and underwriting accounted for a combined $647.6 million in revenue in 2021.
| Year | Individual giving | Underwriting |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $260,960,182 | $198,025,282 |
| 2009 | $276,161,970 | $175,689,164 |
| 2010 | $288,300,541 | $178,751,907 |
| 2011 | $308,219,610 | $177,198,166 |
| 2012 | $316,004,310 | $191,696,566 |
| 2013 | $331,939,227 | $192,111,102 |
| 2014 | $342,250,140 | $203,386,494 |
| 2015 | $365,703,727 | $212,194,935 |
| 2016 | $376,131,389 | $217,585,274 |
| 2017 | $399,172,509 | $220,103,262 |
| 2018 | $418,737,546 | $226,547,675 |
| 2019 | $429,788,764 | $227,610,088 |
| 2020 | $490,569,581 | $206,736,340 |
| 2021 | $477,847,524 | $169,798,837 |
Note: All figures are fiscal year, inflation-adjusted calculations. Data for these licensees was aggregated and provided by Mark Fuerst, director, Public Media Futures, using the Annual Financial Reports submitted by each licensee to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
Source: Public Media Futures, a project funded by the Wyncote Foundation.
In 2021, the total number of individual members – defined as anyone who has given money to one of the stations owned by these 129 licensees in each calendar year – was 2.4 million, about the same as the previous year.
| Year | Total membership |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 1,665,924 |
| 2009 | 1,743,232 |
| 2010 | 1,790,393 |
| 2011 | 1,940,486 |
| 2012 | 1,956,201 |
| 2013 | 2,016,449 |
| 2014 | 2,103,547 |
| 2015 | 2,046,745 |
| 2016 | 2,087,018 |
| 2017 | 2,292,509 |
| 2018 | 2,312,170 |
| 2019 | 2,351,783 |
| 2020 | 2,388,343 |
| 2021 | 2,379,588 |
Note: Data for these licensees was aggregated and provided by Mark Fuerst, director, Public Media Futures, using the Annual Financial Reports submitted by each licensee to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
Source: Public Media Futures, a project funded by the Wyncote Foundation.
On the television side, NewsHour derives its revenue from a variety of sources, including PBS, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and a mix of “nonpublic” streams such as corporations, individual giving and foundations. While the details about public sources of revenue were unavailable for this analysis, NewsHour did provide information about its breakdown of nonpublic funding. In 2022, contributions from individuals rose to 27% of total nonpublic funding as contributions from foundations reached their lowest share at 51%. (Information on whether the total amount of this funding rose or fell was also unavailable.)
| Year | Individuals | Corporations | Foundations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 3% | 41% | 56% |
| 2015 | 6% | 23% | 71% |
| 2016 | 11% | 19% | 70% |
| 2017 | 13% | 17% | 70% |
| 2018 | 13% | 17% | 70% |
| 2019 | 15% | 22% | 63% |
| 2020 | 24% | 18% | 58% |
| 2021 | 26% | 18% | 56% |
| 2022 | 27% | 22% | 51% |
Note: All figures are calendar year.
Source: Information provided by PBS NewsHour.
Newsroom investment
Program and production expenses for the 129 news-oriented local public radio licensees was $480.2 million in 2021, compared with $539.4 million in 2020. While program and production expenses comprise only a portion of overall station expenses, a decrease in these kinds of expenditures indicates that the stations are directing fewer dollars toward the creation of news content.
| Year | Total program and production expenses |
|---|---|
| 2008 | $358,739,718 |
| 2009 | $375,334,220 |
| 2010 | $383,570,778 |
| 2011 | $399,366,969 |
| 2012 | $412,874,880 |
| 2013 | $418,041,473 |
| 2014 | $438,732,107 |
| 2015 | $458,912,987 |
| 2016 | $482,305,581 |
| 2017 | $495,924,199 |
| 2018 | $516,649,414 |
| 2019 | $530,018,455 |
| 2020 | $539,375,591 |
| 2021 | $480,194,652 |
Note: All figures are fiscal year, inflation-adjusted calculations. Data for these licensees was aggregated and provided by Mark Fuerst, director, Public Media Futures, using the Annual Financial Reports submitted by each licensee to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
Source: Public Media Futures, a project funded by the Wyncote Foundation.
Find out more
This fact sheet was compiled by Research Assistants Christopher St. Aubin and Sarah Naseer.
Pew Research Center is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts, its primary funder. This is the latest report in Pew Research Center’s ongoing investigation of the state of news, information and journalism in the digital age, a research program funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, with generous support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Read the methodology.
Find more in-depth explorations of public broadcasting by following the links below:
- For World Radio Day, key facts about radio listeners and the radio industry in the U.S., Feb. 13, 2023.
- Broad agreement in U.S. – even among partisans – on which news outlets are part of the ‘mainstream media’, May 7, 2021
- How Americans Navigated the News in 2020: A Tumultuous Year in Review, Feb. 22, 2021
- Measuring News Consumption in a Digital Era, Dec. 8, 2020
- Americans’ main sources for political news vary by party and age, April 1, 2020
- U.S. Media Polarization and the 2020 Election: A Nation Divided, Jan. 24, 2020
