Insights

Modern Media Trends: Why Consumers Trust Public Media

Article
September 2021

“It’s relevant to the public, to people, and to society today,” says Brianna, an NPR listener from Pittsburgh. In our content-saturated lives, NPR programming breaks through the noise, and makes a difference to listeners across the country and around the world. And NPR listeners don’t just trust the content they hear – that trust extends to brand partners. In fact, 82% of listeners have been moved to take action in response to hearing a sponsorship announcement in an NPR broadcast.¹

“This past year, NPR really kept me sane.” says Bella in Vermont. “Really, it’s such a great source of news. It’s a great source of entertainment.” Like Bella, 80% of listeners consider NPR programming “personally important” to them.¹ While fewer than half of all Americans trust the mainstream media,² trust in NPR remains high. Likewise, with 5x fewer brand messages per hour than commercial radio, NPR sponsor messages get heard.³ When compared to traditional radio ads, NPR sponsor messages are 23% more memorable.⁴

“My day starts and ends with NPR,” says Mike in Atlanta. “I like to know what’s going on around me.” For many, NPR is a constant companion, fueling their commutes and their conversations. NPR is home to 6 of the top 20 podcasts in the U.S., which means NPR stories are reaching 19.5 million users each month.⁵

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  1. Kantar, NPR State of Sponsorship Survey, April 2021
  2. Edelman Trust Barometer, 2021
  3. Sample station listening, industry data, and Kagan estimates, 2020-2021
  4. Neuro-Insight, NPR Sponsorship Effectiveness Study, 2018
  5. Podtrac, August 2021