NPR's Growth During the Last Three Decades
Since NPR's founding in 1970, it has become a dominant intellectual force in
American life and a primary source of news for millions. Begun 37 years ago
with 30 employees and 90 charter stations, NPR has evolved into a major media
company with 750 employees. NPR programming is heard on more than 860
independent public radio stations.
The audience for NPR programming has doubled in the last ten years to 26 million
weekly listeners. Since Fall 2000, the audience to NPR programming has added
nearly 8 million listeners, an increase of 40 percent. In the early 1980s,
about 2 million people listened to NPR.
Morning Edition and All Things Considered are the two most listened-to shows
in public radio. According to published reports, Morning Edition is the leading
morning radio news program in the United States.
NPR continues to expand its program offerings and services to stations and
listeners. Since 2003, NPR has launched five new programs:
CPRN (Classical Public Radio Network),
Day to Day, News & Notes, Tell Me More, and The Bryant Park Project.
