American Public Media, Nation's Second Largest Public Radio Company, Announces It Now Serves 14.6 Million Listeners Each Week, a 14 Percent Audience Increase
Contact: Connie Molby
(651) 290-1113
cmolby@americanpublicmedia.org
www.americanpublicmedia.org
American Public Media, Nation's Second Largest Public Radio Company, Announces It Now Serves 14.6 Million Listeners Each Week, a 14 Percent Audience Increase
(St. Paul, Minn.) April 11, 2005 — American Public Media announced today that the number of listeners tuning into its national radio programming and to the regional radio stations operated by its affiliate companies was up 14 percent in Fall 2004 from Fall 2003. Total estimated weekly audience for programming produced by American Public Media, reported by Arbitron Nationwide, was more than 14.6 million listeners, making it the second largest producer of public radio programming after National Public Radio in Washington, D.C.
American Public Media produces a range of popular radio programs, including Marketplace, Marketplace Morning Report, Sound Money, A Prairie Home Companion, The Splendid Table, Being and Weekend America. These programs are heard on over 700 public radio stations across the country. Fall 2004 audience estimates show that total weekly audiences served by American Public Media's affiliated stations grew to 28.5 million listeners.
The estimate for total listeners for Marketplace and Marketplace Morning Report, programs that cover "business for the rest of us," was more than 8.7 million, up more than 9 percent from 2003. Marketplace continues to have the largest audience of any broadcast business program on radio or television. A Prairie Home Companion had an estimated 4.3 million listeners each week, an increase of 5 percent.
Significant increases in listeners were reported for Being (155 percent), Sound Money (31 percent), The Splendid Table (17 percent) and Marketplace Morning Report (16 percent).
American Public Media Group's regional public radio companies include Minnesota Public Radio and Southern California Public Radio. Among Minnesota Public Radio's regional stations, significant audience growth was also reported. Minnesota Public Radio produces news, arts and culture and classical music programming for 37 regional radio stations. At Southern California Public Radio, which broadcasts on KPCC-FM in Los Angeles, the estimated weekly audience increased 8 percent.
"The Fall 2004 Arbitron ratings report is the first available for our national programs since launching American Public Media last summer, and weíre pleased with the results," said Bill Kling, president and CEO of American Public Media Group, the parent company of Minnesota Public Radio, Southern California Public Radio and American Public Media. "This increase in audience suggests we are providing programming that attracts listeners. But while the numbers are gratifying, they also remind us that we must continue to innovate if we are to keep building audience and contribute to our affiliate stations'success."
American Public Media(tm) is the nation's second-biggest producer of public radio programs, reaching 13.5 million listeners nationwide each week. National programs include A Prairie Home Companion®, Saint Paul Sunday®, Marketplace®, Sound Money®, The Splendid Table®, Being™ and special reports produced by its national documentary unit, American RadioWorks®. American Public Media is the national production and distribution division of Minnesota Public Radio®. Minnesota Public Radio, along with its sister company Southern California Public Radio, belongs to a larger family of companies within American Public Media Group, a national nonprofit organization whose purpose is to develop resources, services and systems to support public media for public service. A complete list of stations, programs and additional services can be obtained at www.americanpublicmedia.us.