Is public radio giving up on the next generation of listeners?
When NPR recently announced it was dropping The Bryant Park Project after less than a year on the air, it marked the second time in recent months that a youth-targeted public radio program was cancelled. Fair Game, a PRI evening show, was shelved at the end of May, also after just a few months. The two cancellations would seem to indicate the public radio, long seen as a medium for middle-aged liberal commuters to listen to while driving their Priuses to work, has thrown in the towel when it comes to attracting younger listeners. However, I think it may actually indicate that NPR and PRI, rather than giving up on the next generation, has merely given up on pandering to it. After all, by at least one major indication—iTunes podcast downloads—public radio already has a solid following among young listeners. The iTunes list of top podcasts routinely contains several public radio programs, including "This American Life," "Fresh Air" and "Car Talk." At this moment, in fact, seven of the top 10 (and all of the top four) audio podcasts on iTunes come from the world of public radio. And, according to eMarketer, 70% of iTunes podcast downloaders are under 44; 29% are under 24. So, it looks like NPR and PRI have discovered belatedly that, instead of creating shows specifically for young listeners, they should stick to their core business of producing intelligent, thoughtful, well-produced programming, and audiences looking for such media—young and old—will find it. That said, I must admit that I enjoyed both "the BPP" and Fair Game. I found their mix of news, talk and Daily Show-style humor a refreshing alternative to Morning Edition and All Things Considered. Of course, I’m not in either show’s target demo, and the iTunes numbers show that those who are seem to be content with public radio’s standard offerings. For the rest of us middle-aged commuters, there’s always The Sound of Young America.
July 20th, 2008 17:08
Come to think of it, I’ve appeared on both BPP and Fair Game, perhaps it’s a curse. Hopefully that doesn’t mean All Things Considered is next!