NPR Sets Goal To Beat Commercial News/Talk Stations

Jarl Mohn

Jarl Mohn, President and CEO of NPR, says the network’s goal is to have NPR’s News/Talk stations be the most listened-to radio news station in all PPM rated markets.

Spark News reports Mohn announced the goal last week in remarks at the public radio Super Regional conference of managers from NPR member stationslast week in St. Paul.

Mohn was beaming with pride when we spoke with him at the Super Regional. He had seen Spark News' September 25th report which indicated  NPR News/Talk stations were the leading radio news source in 20 of the 50 or so Nielsen PPM markets in the August ratings.

Mohn was referring to observations made by Dave Becker, PD of KNPR, Las Vegas, Becker found that NPR News/Talk stations in all 20 markets had more weekly cumulative listeners than commercial News/Talk stations in the same market.

Mohn sensed there was more to the story so he examined the August Nielsen numbers. When looking at Persons 25-54 in weekly drive times he saw that NPR News/Talk stations are reaching more listeners than “big” commercial news/talkers in 26 of the PPM markets during Morning Edition and in 28 markets during All Things Considered.

Listening trends are moving in NPR’s favor. Mohn concluded that it is possible that NPR News/Talk stations could top local commercial news/talk stations in all of Nielsen’s PPM market.