Public Radio Exchange

Last updated

Public Radio Exchange
PRX logo.svg
Type Public radio network
Country
United States
Broadcast area
Nationwide
Headquarters Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
History
FoundedSeptember 2003;20 years ago (2003-09)
Coverage
AvailabilityGlobal
Links
Website www.prx.org OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The Public Radio Exchange (PRX) is a non-profit web-based platform for digital distribution, review, and licensing of radio programs. The organization is the largest on-demand catalogue of public radio programs available for broadcast and internet use. [1]

Contents

History

A Peabody Award for Reveal: The VA's Opiate Overload.
L to R: Kerri Hoffman, Ben Adair, John Barth, Aaron Glantz, Jake Shapiro, Susanne Reber and Amy Pyle (2015) Kerri Hoffman - Ben Adair - John Barth - Aaron Glantz - Susanne Reber - Jake Shapiro - Amy Pyle (14266353509).jpg
A Peabody Award for Reveal: The VA's Opiate Overload.
L to R: Kerri Hoffman, Ben Adair, John Barth, Aaron Glantz, Jake Shapiro, Susanne Reber and Amy Pyle (2015)

The PRX site and services launched in September 2003 after a two-year planning, research, and development phase supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Ford Foundation. PRX received additional support from the NTIA Technology Opportunities Program, the MacArthur Foundation, the Open Society Institute, the Surdna Foundation, and Google Grants. PRX offices are located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

On February 28, 2007, PRX and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced the Public Radio Talent Quest. [2] It was an open search for new public radio talent, and gave producers the chance to produce a pilot show for public radio. Finalists were to be chosen after a five-round competition voted on by fans, public radio professionals and celebrity judges. On May 14, the first round of submissions ended with 1,452 entries. As of May 22, 2007, the Public Radio Talent Quest site had over 14,600 registered users.

On April 9, 2008, the MacArthur Foundation selected PRX as one of its 2008 recipients of the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. In late November of that year, PRX soft-launched PRX 3.0. The launch included their Remix Radio project which provides a sampling of the content available for licensing on the site.

On January 1, 2009, PRX, Inc became a Massachusetts 501c3 non-profit corporation. Previously PRX had been a project area of the Station Resource Group, a Maryland non-profit. On January 28, PRX Remix was added to XM Satellite Radio on channel 136. Later that year, on July 19, PRX launched the Public Radio Player 2.0, an iPhone app for public radio developed by PRX, NPR, and other public radio partners, and funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. On August 11, PRX was included in CPB's agreement with SoundExchange through 2015 as a covered public radio entity for music webcasting royalties.

In 2010 PRX launched two iPhone apps: the This American Life app on February 1 and the WBUR Boston app on July 7. That same year, PRX won a Peabody Award for The Moth Radio Hour. [3] PRX was also announced as a winner of the 2010 Knight News Challenge for Story Exchange, a crowdfunding journalism project, on June 16. On September 8, 2010, PRX announced $2.7M in new funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Ford Foundation.

On December 8, 2011, PRX announced $2.5M in funding from Knight Foundation to create the Public Media Accelerator. In May 2014, PRX received a Peabody Award for the Reveal show "The VA's Opiate Overload". [4]

On August 15, 2018, PRX and Public Radio International announced they would merge, though both networks would maintain separate identities and programming. [5] [6] The PRI brand was retired the following year.

PRX Remix

Formerly known as Public Radio Remix. As of 2011, two radio stations, KPBZ in Spokane, Washington and WREM in Canton, New York, air a full-time schedule of programming from PRX, branded as Public Radio Remix. [7] Both stations are owned by the same organizations as their markets' primary National Public Radio affiliates. PRX Remix also airs on Sirius XM Channel 123.

Several other public radio stations air some, but not all, Public Radio Exchange programming in their schedules.

Numbers

On May 22, 2007, PRX had 12,167 available radio pieces, 28,149 members, including 445 radio stations, [8] and 2,782 individual producers. [9]

Programs distributed by PRX

Regular series distributed by PRX include: [10]


Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef.
2022 Peabody Awards Podcast & RadioKabul FallingNominated [13]


Related Research Articles

CBC Radio One is the English-language news and information radio network of the publicly owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial-free and offers local and national programming. It is available on AM and FM to 98 percent of Canadians and overseas over the Internet, and through mobile apps. CBC Radio One is simulcast across Canada on Bell Satellite TV satellite channels 956 and 969, and Shaw Direct satellite channel 870.

<i>This American Life</i> Short stories radio program and podcast

This American Life (TAL) is an American weekly hour-long radio program produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media and hosted by Ira Glass. It is broadcast on numerous public radio stations in the United States and internationally, and is also available as a free weekly podcast. Primarily a journalistic non-fiction program, it has also featured essays, memoirs, field recordings, short fiction, and found footage. The first episode aired on November 17, 1995, under the show's original title, Your Radio Playhouse. The series was distributed by Public Radio International until June 2014, when the program became self-distributed with Public Radio Exchange delivering new episodes to public radio stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public Radio International</span> Distributor of public radio programming

Public Radio International (PRI) was an American public radio organization. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, PRI provided programming to over 850 public radio stations in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Edwards</span> American journalist

Robert Alan Edwards is an American broadcast journalist, a Peabody Award-winning member of the National Radio Hall of Fame. He hosted both of National Public Radio's flagship news programs, the afternoon All Things Considered, and Morning Edition, where he was the first and longest serving host in the latter program's history. Starting in 2004, Edwards then was the host of The Bob Edwards Show on Sirius XM Radio and Bob Edwards Weekend distributed by Public Radio International to more than 150 public radio stations. Those programs ended in September 2015. Edwards currently hosts a podcast for AARP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon Public Broadcasting</span> PBS and NPR member networks in Oregon

Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) is the primary television and radio public broadcasting network for most of the U.S. state of Oregon as well as southern Washington. OPB consists of five full-power television stations, dozens of VHF or UHF translators, and over 20 radio stations and frequencies. Broadcasts include local and regional programming as well as television programs from the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and American Public Television (APT), and radio programs from National Public Radio (NPR), American Public Media (APM), Public Radio Exchange (PRX), and the BBC World Service, among other distributors. Its headquarters and television studios are located in Portland.

<i>The World</i> (radio program) Global news radio, audio and multi-platform program

The World is a public radio international news magazine co-produced by the WGBH Educational Foundation and the Public Radio Exchange (PRX). It is hosted by Marco Werman and produced from the Nan and Bill Harris Studios at the WGBH building in Boston, Massachusetts.

<i>Afropop Worldwide</i> American public radio program

Afropop Worldwide is a radio program that presents the musics of Africa and the African diaspora. The program is produced by Sean Barlow for World Music Productions in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. It is hosted by the veteran Cameroonian broadcaster Georges Collinet, who previously attained renown for his work with Voice of America.

Studio 360 was an American weekly public radio program about the arts and culture hosted by novelist Kurt Andersen and produced by Public Radio Exchange (PRX) and Slate in New York City. The program's stated goal was to "Get inside the creative mind" and used arts and culture as a lens to understand the world. The program was created by PRI based on an identified need for programming dedicated and focused on arts and culture journalism in media. While the show featured regular guest interviews with authors such as Joyce Carol Oates, Jonathan Lethem, and Miranda July, and musicians as diverse as Laura Veirs, Don Byron, and k.d. lang, it also had several recurring segments. The American Icons series attempted to understand lasting American cultural icons such as The Great Gatsby and Kind of Blue. The hour on Moby-Dick was the recipient of the 2004 Peabody Award. Public Radio International and WNYC co-produced the show from 2000 to 2017, when Slate replaced WNYC. After PRI merged with PRX, PRX continued to syndicate the show until the program's cancellation. The program was funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WGBH Educational Foundation</span> Public broadcasting organization in Boston

The WGBH Educational Foundation is an American public broadcasting group based in Boston, Massachusetts. Established in 1951, it holds the licenses to all of the PBS member stations in Massachusetts, and operates its flagship station WGBH-TV, sister station WGBX-TV, and a group of NPR member stations in the state. It also owns WGBY-TV in Springfield, which is operated by New England Public Media under a program service agreement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Center for Investigative Reporting</span> Non-profit organisation in the USA

The Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) is a nonprofit news organization based in Emeryville, California. It was founded in 1977 as the nation’s first nonprofit investigative journalism organization, and has since grown into a multi-platform newsroom, with investigations published on the Reveal website, public radio show and podcast, video pieces and documentaries and social media platforms, reaching over a million people weekly. The public radio show and podcast, “Reveal,” co-produced with PRX, is CIR’s flagship distribution platform, airing on 588 stations nationwide. The newsroom focuses on reporting that reveals inequities, abuse, and corruption, and holds those responsible accountable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Underwriting spot</span>

An underwriting spot, known as sponsor credit in Japan, is an announcement made on public broadcasting outlets, especially in the United States, in exchange for funding. These spots usually mention the name of the sponsor, and can resemble traditional television advertisements in commercial broadcasting to a limited extent; however, under the terms of a public broadcaster's license from the Federal Communications Commission, such spots are prohibited from being promotional or making any sort of "call to action". In the U.S., these restrictions apply to any television or radio station licensed as a non-commercial educational (NCE) stations, and even for non-sponsoring companies and products. However, this is not the case in Japan, as these spots can be played on both public and private broadcasters and are typically played alongside traditional commercials and appear after a show's opening theme or after a preview of a next episode or appear during a scene of a show.

Latino USA is a nationally syndicated public radio program and podcast produced by The Futuro Media Group and distributed nationwide by the Public Radio Exchange (PRX), after 27 years of being distributed by NPR. The program is anchored by Maria Hinojosa.

<i>The Takeaway</i> Morning radio news program

The Takeaway was a weekday radio news program co-created and co-produced by Public Radio International and WNYC. Its editorial partner is WGBH-FM; at launch the BBC World Service and The New York Times were also editorial partners. In addition to co-producing the program, PRX also distributes the program nationwide to its affiliated stations. The program debuted on WNYC in New York, WGBH in Boston, and WEAA in Baltimore. At time of its last broadcast, the program had approximately 241 carrying stations across the country, including markets in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Miami, Portland, Boston, and more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Letson</span> American journalist and radio host

Al Letson is an American writer, journalist, and radio and podcast host. Since 2013, he has served as the host of the radio show and podcast Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX. Before that, he created and hosted the show State of the Re:Union, distributed by National Public Radio and PRX.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NPR</span> American nonprofit media organization

National Public Radio is an American non-profit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national syndicator to a network of over 1,000 public radio stations in the United States. It differs from other non-profit membership media organizations such as the Associated Press, in that it was established by an act of Congress.

Glynn Washington is a media personality and producer. He is the host, creator and executive producer of Snap Judgment, a radio / podcast/ stage / television show distributed by PRX.

Roman Mars is an American radio producer. He is the host and producer of 99% Invisible, a KALW radio show and podcast, and a founder of the podcast collective Radiotopia, which he describes as efforts "to broaden the radio landscape [and] make shows that aren't bound by conventions" of public radio in the United States.

<i>99% Invisible</i> Radio program and podcast on design

99% Invisible is a radio show and podcast produced and created by Roman Mars that focuses on design. It began as a collaborative project between San Francisco public radio station KALW and the American Institute of Architects in San Francisco. PRX has distributed the show for broadcasting on a number of radio stations and as a podcast on the Radiotopia network. On April 28, 2021, Roman Mars announced in an introduction of a re-released episode that 99% Invisible had been purchased by Sirius XM and marketed as part of its Stitcher Radio brand.

Snap Judgment is a weekly storytelling radio program and podcast, produced in Oakland, California and distributed by Public Radio Exchange, and hosted by Glynn Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public broadcasting in the United States</span>

In the United States, other than a few direct services, public broadcasting is almost entirely decentralized and is not operated by the government, but does receive some government support.

References

  1. Station Resource Group 2006 Activity Review Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "CPB To Launch Public Radio "Talent Quest" Initiative". CPB (Press release). June 30, 2015. Archived from the original on March 13, 2007.
  3. 70th Annual Peabody Awards, May 2011.
  4. 73rd Annual Peabody Awards, May 2014.
  5. Falk, Tyler (August 15, 2018). "PRI, PRX merge to form new organization". current.org. Current. Retrieved January 16, 2020. Public Radio International and PRX will merge under an unusual arrangement that allows both to maintain separate identities and program portfolios.
  6. Beard, David (August 20, 2018). "Merger of 2 public radio outsiders has something for both". poynter.org. Poynter Institute. Retrieved January 16, 2020. Last week, the two public radio experimenters announced they would merge.
  7. "World Ends, NERW Rolls On". NorthEast Radio Watch, May 23, 2011.
  8. "PRX Station search". PRX - Public Radio Exchange. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  9. PRX Producer search.
  10. "PRX » Series". PRX – Public Radio Exchange.
  11. Lapin, Andrew (September 10, 2012). "New youth-flavored variety entries move genre out of its Prairie Home". Current. Takoma Park, Maryland.
  12. 1 2 Spangler, Todd (January 12, 2022). "Siegfried & Roy Podcast From Apple TV Plus Uncovers Duo's Private History (Podcast Roundup)". Variety. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  13. "83rd Peabody Award Nominees".