One of the things that have changed the most in my daily life since I have started living on campus is that I don’t drive anymore. Although I do enjoy having the ability to walk to wherever I need to go with no real hassle, not driving has affected me in another way; I no longer regularly listen to NPR. This doesn’t seem like a big deal in a world where there is a constant flow of information, but I have lost this aspect of my routine and, therefore, have become less versed in the happenings of our country and our world.
I know that many people find their news in different ways, but NPR has always been near and dear to my heart, even though it is becoming less and less popular. I say this, having been a child that never heard anything else playing in the car when my parents were driving. Originally, I couldn’t stand listening to “talk radio” when I knew that there were so many alternatives, but I’ve come to love the opportunity to multitask and be informed while I drive, which actually lead to my family donating our old car to support NPR. On top of that, NPR usually maintains a fairly neutral perspective on the information that they present, making it a holistic and credible source of the news. In a society of political dichotomies, we are always searching for information for the sake of learning, not that which only pushes a political agenda, and NPR provides this, so why does it have such a niche audience?
Part of the issue is that radio is becoming less and less necessary for the general public. I’ve been in cars with other people of varying ages and, most of the time, they play music from their phones, either via an auxiliary port or Bluetooth. The car radio is being phased out by a platform that allows each consumer to listen to what they want to, and radio cannot compete with that. Very rarely do I ever see anyone listen to the radio anymore, and when I do, it is usually a member of the older generations that have either become accustomed to it over time or simply don’t want to go through the trouble of using their phone while in the car. Does that mean the radio is just another trend that is destined to be replaced and become obsolete?
Well, it really depends on who you ask. According to their own listener demographics, NPR reaches around 28.9 million through their more than 1,000 public radio stations. It’s from this listener base that NPR receives around 37% of the funding of their $202 million operating cost in 2015. If you do a little bit of math, this averages out to about a donation of $2.59 per listener for the financial year of 2015. However, these numbers are skewed because it is just a straight average. NPR also claims that “NPR listeners are 129% more likely to be top management and 114% more likely to be C-suite executives,” creating a niche listener group that is more than capable of filling their $2.59 yearly donation. A report published by Joe Chappell of AESC suggested that the average yearly salary of C-suite executives, including CEOs and CFOs, in the world averages to around $280,000. Since NPR is also non-profit, donations are also tax deductible.
Will public radio ever become obsolete? I don’t know. If the trends continue and this media source is able to maintain its cult following by the socioeconomic elite, it seems likely that, even in the midst of cut funding from the federal government, NPR will maintain its relevancy to its supporters, even though it is being drastically outcompeted by the for-profit media. This shows that just because there may be a simpler and more convenient method of replacing an apparently-outdated technology, like radio, small groups, especially those that can afford to, can keep a way of life alive.