1. The Digital Future of NPR
NPR Digital Think In
October 9, 2009

2. understanding npr

3. public media myths
1 NPR & PBS are the same.
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4. revenue sources
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5. public media myths
1 NPR & PBS are the same.
2 If it’s public radio, it’s NPR.
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6. public radio
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7. listening hours*
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8. public media myths
1 NPR & PBS are the same.
2 If it’s public radio, it’s NPR.
3 Public media organizations are
federally funded.
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9. revenue sources
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10. npr coverage
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11. agenda for think in

12. context
While there are many people thinking
about the future of journalism, today’s
conversation is different:
NPR is a unique media We are specifically
organization because of thinking about the
its business model. future of journalism
within a five year
horizon.
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13. today’s goal
Generate actionable concepts that
address five key challenge/opportunity
areas for NPR.
Focus areas:
Social — NPR & community
Local — community & geography
Open — content & accessibility
Platform — content & distribution
Revenue — support & community
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14. today’s output
These concepts will be used to inform NPR’s:
digital service roadmaps
business models
fundraising strategies
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15. upcoming
NPR is identifying an advisory task force to
help define and validate its digital future on
an ongoing basis.
Today’s concepts will launch internal
development initiatives.
Today’s concepts will serve as inspiration
for NPR’s upcoming Public Media Camp on
October 17th.
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16. teamwork expectations
Move past soapbox rants and circular debate.
Move towards productive discourse.
Propose solutions that address NPR’s unique situation.
Listen, collaborate, and have fun.
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17. our focus areas

18. social
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19. social
Context
NPR has a level of listener What value can the
loyalty that’s unmatched. NPR community create
At the same time, the through dialogue?
NPR community is not
as involved with NPR, or
with each other, as one
would expect.
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20. social
Considerations
How can NPR’s loyal listening audience get engaged
with the online community?
How can the NPR community connect with other
existing online communities.
Which online social interactions can be translated into
deeper engagement and ultimately financial support?
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21. social
Breakout Group Activities
Generate concepts in Generate concepts for a
which NPR listeners collaborative framework
engage with each other for the community to
in a significant and engage with journalists
meaningful way. and each other.
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22. revenue
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23. revenue
Context
In a traditional broadcast How can NPR and
model NPR member member stations tie
stations displace content financial support to
to solicit support. In a content in a new way?
digital context, this is no
longer feasible.
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24. revenue
Considerations
Can a direct linkage be established between individual donations
and specific reporting that’s beyond “listeners like you.”
How can digital media be used to cut operating costs?
Are there entirely new revenue sources that NPR isn’t
considering?
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25. revenue
Breakout Group Activities
Generate concepts Generate fundraising
that allow listeners to models that benefit
support news that is both NPR and member
important to them. stations.
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26. local
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27. local
Context
As digital distribution How, in the age of
becomes pervasive, digital distribution, can
stations lose their local stations rebalance
monopoly on local the mix of local and
broadcast audiences. national content
This increases pressure production?
on local stations to
increase local relevancy.
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28. local
Considerations
How can NPR stations engage the community to strengthen
local news coverage while maintaining journalistic integrity?
How can NPR use in person events to better engage
their community?
What kind of partnerships can member stations form?
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29. local
Breakout Group Activities
Propose how a station Propose strategy that
would be organized leverage best practices
(management from local stations and
structures, geographic scale them across the
positioning, job roles, member network.
etc) to best serve its
audience?
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30. platform
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31. platform
Context
“…we must consider How can NPR evolve
new ways to build a great its platforms and the
network for knowledge media they distribute?
– not just a broadcast
system, but one that
employs every means
of sending and storing
information that the
individual can use.”
– Lyndon B Johnson, Public Broadcasting Act of 1967
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32. platform
Considerations
How can NPR deliver content in an increasingly mobile context
and across platforms?
How can NPR use its platforms to allow the aggregation, while
also ensuring its integrity?
How can NPR’s platform be made more social and embrace
increased community engagement?
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33. platform
Breakout Group Activities
Define concepts NPR’s core
about how NPR’s competency is
platforms can integrate producing audio
into the larger media content. Generate
ecosystem. concepts for how
a future platform
reflects this fact.
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34. open
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35. open
Context
With the adoption How can NPR
of open APIs, NPR’s manage the process of
content will be mashed becoming more open?
up with user generated
content and leveraged
by entrepreneurs. While
this may increase NPR’s
audience and produce
revenue it may also erode
NPR’s editorial voice.
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36. open
Considerations
Are there existing financial models that NPR can consider to
balance openness with economic sustainability?
What impact will NPR’s open APIs have on other media outlets?
How can entrepreneurs make money for themselves, and NPR,
by leveraging content through open APIs?
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37. open
Breakout Group Activities
Create concepts for how Create concepts
NPR can act as a curator for applications that
for open source content. use the open APIs,
which strengthen the
relationship between
NPR and member
stations.
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38. today’s process