Washington Post media reporter Paul Farhi reveals a story that public broadcasters don't like to talk about: their ratings. They don't want to sound like they care (they certainly do), like they're obsessed like a for-profit company, or that they're taking market share away from commercial radio. But now, in tough times, NPR's rating success is leaking out:
The audience for NPR's daily news programs, including "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered," reached a record last year, driven by widespread interest in the presidential election, and the general decline of radio news elsewhere. Washington-based NPR will release new figures to its stations today showing that the cumulative audience for its daily news programs hit 20.9 million a week, a 9 percent increase over the previous year.
The weekly audience for all the programming fed by Washington-based NPR -- including talk shows and music -- also reached a record last year, with 23.6 million people tuning in each week, an 8.7 percent increase over 2007.
The Post routinely leaves the public radio stations out when it surveys the D.C. radio landscape. But there are two public stations in the top ten:
NPR remains a powerhouse in its home town. WAMU (88.5 FM), which carries NPR news and talk programs throughout the day, has consistently ranked as the region's second-most-popular station, behind all-news WTOP (103.5 FM), a commercial station. Noncommercial WETA (90.9 FM), which has a classical music format but also carries NPR news, is among the area's 10 most popular stations.
Farhi's story is right to suggest that the decline of news on commercial radio (and NPR's focus on foreign reporting) are reasons for its ratings climb. But the Post doesn't suggest that NPR's post-9/11 climb might also be due to its liberal tilt -- that just as left-wing journals like The Nation saw a surge in subscriptions in the Bush era, the same liberal uplift may have occurred at NPR. Whether that theory might hold will depend on ratings in the new Obama era.
—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center.
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How does one determine who
March 24, 2009 - 09:14 ET by Dan The Man 2How does one determine who listens to a radio station or for that matter a TV station? Is it "sampled" then extrapolated? If it is, it is a piss poor method. And further why were those listeners tuning in? I listen to NPR in teh morning, well as much as I can stand whuch aint much, during my commute.
It gives me an idea of what the idiot libs are thinking.
Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark.
By asking the
March 24, 2009 - 09:16 ET by NL207By asking the listeners.
Arbitron.
not a surprise
March 24, 2009 - 09:48 ET by SweetnessNPR's ratings strength is a mirror image of Fox's on TV. Viewers have only one option if they want their news without a liberal bent, but the libs have many choices.
Similarly on the radio (but to a lesser extent) conservatives usually have options, but liberals have only NPR and a scant few other choices.
Sweetness
March 24, 2009 - 10:36 ET by NorthCoasterSounds about right. I listen to NPR only when my favorite AM stations are buried in static and difficult to hear. I wouldn't be surprised if these stations were picking up folks like me or who like classical music and are willing to listen to NPR news reports.
NPR vs EIB
March 24, 2009 - 10:33 ET by slickwillie2001Liberals whine endlessly about Rush Limbaugh, and yes he is number one with around 14 something million listeners, but NPR's 'All Things Considered' and 'Morning Edition' are very close behind, each with listeners around 13 million.
If the Fairness Doctrine is ever brought back, job #1 is to force it to apply to NPR as well as commercial talk radio. I see no reason to treat them differently, and I might even argue that since NPR is publicly funded, they have a greater responsibility to reflect the diverse political views of the country and not just La-La land.
Slick
March 24, 2009 - 10:38 ET by NorthCoasterI would love to be able to hear talk radio on a clear FM station, but I won't hold my breath.
Rush on FM
March 24, 2009 - 11:17 ET by slickwillie2001Rush Limbaugh is being picked up by more FM stations every week. Check for coverage: http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/menu/rush.guest.all.html
FM doesn't have anywhere near the range of an AM though. That's why FM tends to be local, and you will never hear the term FM Superstation or anything like that.
Slick
March 25, 2009 - 00:46 ET by NorthCoasterThanks for the list. Ohio has all AM stations with Rush on daily. To get a clear station, I have to pick up WJR 760 out of Detroit instead of nay local Cleveland stations. Believe it or not, WRVA out of Richmond VA comes in clearer at times then the AM Cleveland stations, yet all of the FM stations are crystal clear.
NPR
March 24, 2009 - 12:32 ET by weirdoneDo they count me? I listen to Morning Sedition and All Things Distorted frequently. Not because I agree with them but because I believe it is important to "Know Your Enemy". There are a lot of us out here.
If National Proletariat Radio's ratings are doing that well...
March 24, 2009 - 19:06 ET by R D Helm...then it is definitely time for the federal government to stop confiscating part of working American's income at the point of a gun and letNPR, as well as PBS, sell advertising to survive.
I am beyond fed up with my tax dollars being taken from me by a criminal act of force and used to support two Marxist networks that are working to take away my freedoms and liberties.
-Dave
This coup has gone on long enough. The time to put it down is NOW.