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NPR and Member Stations Launch Consider This, the First Localized News Podcast

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Bianca Taylor. (Kirsten Voss)

Listeners in 12 Public Radio Stations’ Markets, Including the Bay Area, Will Get Both National News and Local Reporting in Each Episode

KQED Consider This host and producer Bianca Taylor. Photo: Kirsten Voss (Kirsten Voss)

Washington, DC, and San Francisco, CA — Today NPR, KQED and a group of 11 other public radio stations across the country announced that they have launched Consider This — the first localized daily news podcast to blend national stories and local reporting.

Listeners in or near ten regions — San Francisco (KQED); Boston (WBUR and GBH); New York (WNYC); Philadelphia (WHYY);  Washington, DC (WAMU); Chicago (WBEZ);  Minneapolis/St. Paul (MPR); Dallas/Fort Worth (KERA); Los Angeles (KPCC and KCRW) and Portland, OR (OPB) — 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, 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 the news of the day from their community and beyond to them. It demonstrates what only the public radio network has the ability to do.”

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“The Bay Area is one of the most civically engaged regions in the country and we believe our community will value a localized version of Consider This,” adds KQED President and CEO Michael Isip.  “This first-of-its kind news podcast further establishes NPR as a leader in quality podcasting and reflects the collaborative commitment between NPR and its member stations to local journalism.”

Listeners in the San Francisco Bay Area will hear a version cohosted and produced by KQED Reporter Bianca Taylor. “When people listen to Consider This, they’re going to get the big national news plus the best of the local stories from KQED reporters,” says Taylor. “It’s a uniquely personal way to get a snapshot of what’s happening today — both around the country and in your own backyard — in just one show.”

Taylor is also KQED’s Associate Producer of Segmented Audio and Podcasts. She was formerly an on-call producer, reporter and director for KQED’s news and storytelling shows, including The California Report Magazine and The Leap. Her work has been featured on NPR, the BBC World Service and Audible.

NPR One listeners will automatically hear a localized Consider This if they have one of the 12 participating stations saved as their favorite. On non-NPR platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts and Stitcher, localization will take place when a user downloads or plays an episode.

For now, listeners outside of the Bay Area and 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.

About KQED
KQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st century classrooms. A trusted news source and leader and innovator in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places and ideas. kqed.org

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.

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