Local public radio station membership
Total station membership for the 123 largest news-oriented public radio licensees
YearTotal membership
20081,665,924
20091,743,232
20101,790,393
20111,940,486
20121,956,201
20132,016,449
20142,103,547
20152,046,745
20162,087,018
20172,292,509
20182,312,170
20192,351,783

Note: Data for these licensees was aggregated and provided by Mark Fuerst, director, Public Media Futures, using the Annual Financial Reports submitted by each licensee to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). These results reflect the performance of the largest public radio news-station licensees initially selected in 2015 and thereafter tracked by Public Media Futures to estimate total system performance. One licensee was dropped from the analysis due to a format change, bringing the total to 123 (118 licensees plus five owners of 11 licensees). Previous years’ data was updated to reflect this new cohort.

Source: Public Media Futures, a project funded by the Wyncote Foundation.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER