7 chapters across the catalog
NPR Podcast Tracking, Open Source APIs, and Monetization
NPR is developing an open-source platform and API to track podcast listening metrics more accurately for advertisers. Adam Curry criticizes the move, arguing that "if you can measure it, you can sell it" is anathema to the public broadcasting mission. He reiterates his stance that the network itself cannot be effectively monetized without compromising the medium.
NPR CEO Jarl Mohn (Lee Masters) shared an anecdote about the extreme bureaucracy within his organization. It took over three weeks of internal debate just to add the word "live" to the top-of-the-hour news introduction. The story is used as a prime example of the cultural stagnation and inefficiency within mainstream media companies.
NPR Future, Podcast Revolution, Syracuse University Debate
A Slate article titled "The Fight for the Future of NPR" examines the struggle of public radio to adapt to the podcasting era. A host announces an upcoming debate at Syracuse University with radio executive Lee Masters regarding the survival of traditional broadcasting. The discussion highlights the exodus of top NPR talent to independent podcast networks.
Jarl Mohn, the CEO of NPR, discussed using podcasting to reach millennial audiences during a media appearance. Critics argue that the traditional NPR business model involving local stations is incompatible with the decentralized nature of podcasting.
NPR Earbud.fm, Podcast Monetization and Supply and Demand
NPR's new podcast platform, Earbud.fm, is criticized as a flawed attempt to monetize repurposed content. The hosts argue that the unlimited inventory of digital advertising naturally drives prices toward zero, unlike traditional broadcast models. They suggest that NPR's reliance on advertising and corporate structures prevents them from understanding the true value of independent podcasting.
One of the hosts has been invited to represent podcasting on a media panel at Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communication. The panel includes NPR CEO Jarl Mohn (formerly Lee Masters), and the discussion is expected to focus on the future of broadcast versus digital media.
NPR appointed Jarl Mohn, formerly known in the 1980s as Los Angeles DJ Lee Masters, as its new President and CEO. Mohn's background includes executive roles at MTV and VH1, as well as founding E! Entertainment Television. The transition is expected to bring a more commercial sensibility to the public radio network, given Mohn's history as a "media innovator" and former top 40 disc jockey.
