Listeners in Boston and 11 other public radio stations’ markets will get both national news and local reporting in each episode

Wednesday, September 9, 2020; Washington, DC and Boston, MA — NPR and a group of 12 public radio stations across the country announced today that they have launched the first localized daily news podcast, one that blends national stories and local reporting.

Listeners in Boston 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.”

“Boston has always benefited from two outstanding NPR stations in the market, ensuring listeners have access to the trusted quality journalism they have come to expect from public media,” said Pam Johnston, General Manager of News at GBH. “We are excited about collaborating with WBUR, drawing on the strengths of both stations, to bring the local news that matters most to our audiences to the NPR podcast Consider This.”

Teaming up for the first time, GBH and WBUR are sharing resources and talent to produce the local segment for Consider This. The Boston hosts of the podcast, WBUR’s Paris Alston and GBH’s Arun Rath, will alternate weeks and be joined by a rotation of reporters from both stations.

“This is a thrilling moment and it demonstrates the extraordinary power of public radio — coming together to deliver an unmatched on-demand experience. One that is global, national and local. Paris and Arun will be the perfect companions to end the news day, with the most important stories in Boston and beyond,” said WBUR CEO Margaret Low. “We are delighted to be working with NPR and GBH on this new venture.”

Listeners on the NPR One app will automatically hear a localized Consider This if they have one of the 12 participating stations saved as their favorite, including GBH, WBUR, 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). Localization also will take place when a user downloads or plays an episode of Consider This on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts and Stitcher.

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 GBH
GBH is the leading multiplatform creator for public media in America. As the largest producer of content for PBS and partner to NPR and PRX, GBH delivers compelling experiences, stories and information to audiences wherever they are. GBH produces digital and broadcast programming that engages, illuminates and inspires, through drama and science, history, arts, culture and journalism. It is the creator of such signature programs as MASTERPIECE, ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, FRONTLINE, NOVA, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, Arthur and Molly of Denali, as well as WORLD Channel and a catalog of streaming series, podcasts and on-demand video. With studios and a newsroom headquartered in Boston, GBH reaches across New England with GBH 89.7, Boston’s Local NPR®; CRB Classical 99.5; and CAI, the Cape and Islands NPR® station. Dedicated to making media accessible to and inclusive of our diverse culture, GBH is a pioneer in delivering media to those who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired. GBH creates curriculum-based digital content for educators nationwide with PBS LearningMedia and has been recognized with hundreds of the nation’s premier broadcast, digital and journalism awards. Find more information at wgbh.org.

About WBUR
WBUR, Boston’s NPR news station, is a public media organization committed to exceptional journalism and deep civic engagement providing news, analysis and entertainment on air, online at wbur.org, on demand and on stage. WBUR is the home of national programs On Point, Here & Now and Only A Game – reaching millions of listeners each week on more than 500 NPR stations nationwide. Ranked as one of Podtrac's top publishers, WBUR is responsible for producing popular podcasts including Circle Round, Endless Thread, Kind World and Modern Love among others. WBUR continues to deepen its engagement with the local community through CitySpace, a dynamic venue for civic discourse and cultural exchange.

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, "Play NPR," 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 at npr.org/about and by following NPR Extra on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Media Contacts
Allyssa Pollard, NPR Media Relations
mediarelations@npr.org

Erin Callanan
Director of Media Relations, GBH
erin_callanan@wgbh.org
617-905-6866