NPR's audience is getting older

Oct 19, 2015 12:28 am
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Current magazine reports that the average–quarter-hour listening during National Public Radio's morning drive time has dropped 11 percent in the past five years, and the afternoon audience is down 6 percent. Young people are listening even less, and the only age bracket with a listening increase is 65-plus. The "Morning Edition" show has 20 percent fewer listeners under 55 since 2010, Nielsen data shared by NPR. "All Things Considered" had a slight gain among listeners ages 12-24 and 55-64 and larger growth among 65-plus listeners. NPR is now guessing that in 2020, 30 percent of its audience will be 44-year-old or younger, a figure that was almost double in 1985. NPR's podcast downloads rose 75 percent last year, and NPR.org grew nearly 35 percent, so there is some hope for the future.