WASHINGTON, DC and CHICAGO (Sept. 9, 2020): Today at the IAB Upfront, NPR and a group of 12 public radio stations across the country announced that they have launched the first localized daily news podcast, one that blends national stories and local reporting.

Listeners in or near ten regions — Boston (WBUR and GBH), New York (WNYC), Philadelphia (WHYY), Washington, D.C.(WAMU), Chicago (WBEZ), Minneapolis/St. Paul (MPR), Dallas/Fort Worth (KERA), Los Angeles (KPCC and KCRW), San Francisco (KQED), and Portland, OR (OPB) — will hear a version of Consider This with reporting on their community from their community, alongside a national view from NPR to help listeners make sense of the day.

This national/local on-demand experience, a first not just for public radio but for the podcast industry as a whole, is made possible by public radio’s shared journalism and digital networks.

“This project is truly the best reflection of the public radio mission,” said Neal Carruth, NPR’s senior director for on demand programming. “Consider This is now a collaborative podcast that will know where users are and deliver them the news of the day from their community and beyond. It demonstrates what only the public radio network has the ability to do.”

“The Consider This podcast is an exciting opportunity for local stations like WBEZ to seamlessly deliver local journalism right from our own newsroom along with NPR’s national content, just as we have done on our broadcast for decades. With this new digital experience, we aim to attract a new generation of public media listeners here in Chicago who turn to podcast platforms for their news and information,” said Steve Edwards, chief content officer and interim CEO at WBEZ Chicago.

Listeners on NPR One will automatically hear a localized Consider This if they have one of the 12 participating stations saved as their favorite. On non-NPR platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts and Stitcher, localization will take place when a user downloads or plays an episode.

NPR is partnering with sponsorship vendor, AdsWizz, to deliver this localized news in the same way podcast publishers deliver any localized sponsorship content. Consider This will use Nielsen’s industry standard Designated Market Areas to route the appropriate local content to users, if there is a participating station match.

“NPR has always partnered with our Member stations to deliver local content to users, from newscasts to radio stories. Now we are expanding that partnership to deliver an even better blended experience by meeting users where they already are on their favorite podcasting platform,” said Stacey Goers, senior product manager of podcasts. “NPR has long supported the open ecosystem of podcasting, including experimentation and growth in podcasting technology. With Consider This, we’re excited to use our sponsorship technology to deliver editorial content in a new way.”

For now, listeners outside of participating markets will continue to hear NPR’s national version of Consider This. NPR expects to add more participating Member stations in 2021.

Launched in March as a coronavirus podcast and expanded in June, Consider This was NPR’s fastest growing podcast to date. Along with Up First, The Indicator from Planet Money and Short Wave, it is part of NPR’s roster of daily, short-form news podcasts.

About WBEZ Chicago

WBEZ, Chicago’s NPR news station, serves the community with fact-based, objective news and information. WBEZ’s award-winning journalists ask tough questions, dig deep for answers and expose truths that spark change and foster understanding. In addition to its local and national news programming, WBEZ Chicago is home to a growing portfolio of popular podcasts, including the “Making” series of Making Beyoncé, Making Obama and Making Oprah; an investigative podcast series, Motive; 16 Shots: A podcast about the fatal police shooting of Laquan McDonald; Nerdette; and Curious City. WBEZ Chicago has a legacy of innovation as the birthplace of nationally acclaimed programs such as This American Life and Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! and the ground-breaking podcast, Serial.

About NPR

NPR’s rigorous reporting and unsurpassed storytelling connect with millions of Americans every day — on the air, online, and in person. NPR strives to create a more informed public — one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas, and cultures. With a nationwide network of award-winning journalists and 17 international bureaus, NPR and its Member Stations are never far from where a story is unfolding. Listeners can find NPR by tuning in to their local Member stations (npr.org/stations), and now it’s easy to listen to our stories on smart speaker devices. Ask your smart speaker to, “PlayNPR,” and you’ll be tuned into your local Member station’s live stream. Your speaker can also access NPR podcasts, NPR One, NPR News Now, and the Visual Newscast is available for screened speakers. Get more information atnpr.org/about and by following NPR Extra on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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