NPR Media Study

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Abstract

  • Objective
    This study examines the media engagement habits of Northwestern University undergraduates, with particular emphasis on the role of National Public Radio (NPR) within a shifting generational media landscape. The aim was to assess NPR’s cultural relevance and interpret the findings in the context of identity formation, institutional trust, and emerging adulthood.
  • Methods
    Between September and November 2024, we conducted 1,352 in-person surveys with undergraduates across multiple high-traffic campus locations. No incentives were offered. Survey modules measured NPR usage, frequency, comparative platform engagement, perceptions of NPR, and qualitative impressions. Data were anonymized and analyzed using descriptive statistics with interpretive commentary grounded in developmental psychology and media studies.
  • Results
    Only 2.1% of students reported any NPR engagement; of these, just 0.37% (n = 5) consumed NPR weekly or more. TikTok (87.4%), YouTube (84.1%), and Instagram (76.2%) dominated weekly media habits. NPR was perceived as outdated (61.2%), politically predictable (49.5%), and elitist (42.8%). Qualitative feedback often framed NPR as “boomer radio” or tied it to parental generations.
  • Interpretation
    Despite a self-identified liberal majority (71.2%), students prefer influencer-driven, peer-mediated platforms to institutional outlets. NPR’s failure to capture undergraduate attention reflects a broader generational shift: authenticity, immediacy, and perceived relatability outweigh institutional credibility. Developmentally, this aligns with emerging adults’ heightened sensitivity to peer validation and identity-congruent media.
  • Conclusions
    NPR occupies a negligible role in the undergraduate media ecosystem. Without recalibrating its approach, the institution risks long-term irrelevance among future cultural leaders.
  • Keywords: media engagement, NPR, generational shifts, emerging adulthood, institutional trust, social media, TikTok

Executive Summary

Objective

To evaluate National Public Radio (NPR) engagement among Northwestern undergraduates and contextualize results within generational media trends and developmental psychology.

Key Findings

  • NPR Engagement:
    • Only 2.1% of students reported any NPR use.
    • Just 0.37% (5 students) consumed NPR weekly or more.
  • Comparative Media Use (Weekly or More):
    • TikTok: 87.4%
    • YouTube: 84.1%
    • Instagram: 76.2%
    • Podcasts (non-NPR): 61.7%
    • Reddit: 33.8%
    • Legacy radio: 6.4%
    • NPR: last place at 0.37%
  • Perceptions of NPR:
    • “Outdated/irrelevant” – 61.2%
    • “Politically predictable” – 49.5%
    • “Feels elitist/disconnected” – 42.8%
    • Positive descriptors: “Educational/informative” (16.3%), “Trustworthy” (9.7%)
    • 24.6% reported they had “never thought about” NPR.
  • Qualitative Feedback (n = 274):
    • 22.6%: “Boomer radio”
    • 14.3%: “Trying too hard to be diverse”
    • 11.8%: “Only identity politics or climate”
    • 9.5%: “My parents’ station”

Interpretation

  • Generational Collapse: NPR is effectively absent in the undergraduate media ecosystem.
  • Identity & Authenticity: Students prefer peer- and influencer-driven platforms that emphasize immediacy and relatability.
  • Trust Deficit: NPR is viewed as predictable, elitist, and disconnected, even among a liberal-leaning (71.2%) student body.
  • Developmental Lens: Emerging adults’ media habits reflect sensitivity to peer validation and identity signaling, where NPR’s institutional style feels mismatched

Implications

  • NPR risks long-term cultural irrelevance among future leaders if current trends persist.
  • Modernization attempts may be alienating core listeners without engaging new ones.
  • Institutional media more broadly may need to recalibrate toward authenticity and peer resonance to maintain credibility with younger audiences.

Northwestern University Media Engagement Study

Fall 2024 | N = 1,352 undergraduates
Principal Investigators: Kevin Waldman & Forest Romm
psychFORM, LLC

Study Rationale and Scope

NPR has historically been positioned as a trusted source of news and education. Yet questions persist about its ability to engage younger generations in a fragmented, influencer-driven media landscape. This study sought to quantify NPR’s actual penetration among Northwestern undergraduates, while interpreting results through developmental psychology and media trust frameworks.

Sample and Recruitment

  • Sample Size: N = 1,352 undergraduates
  • Institution: Northwestern University
  • Research Period: Fall 2024 (September–November)
  • Eligibility: Ages 18–24, enrolled full-time, fluent in English
  • Recruitment: Non-publicized, randomized campus site visits. No location visited on consecutive days to minimize anticipation effects.

Methodology

Format

  • Survey Component: Standardized five-minute questionnaire.
  • Qualitative Component: Optional open-ended comments, recorded verbatim, anonymized, and thematically coded.

Domains

  1. Current NPR engagement and frequency.
  2. Comparative weekly media habits across platforms.
  3. Perceptions of NPR (adjectival descriptors).
  4. Open-ended qualitative feedback.

Confidentiality

  • No personally identifying information collected.
  • All data encrypted and anonymized.
  • Surveys conducted in semi-private spaces to minimize eavesdropping.

Data Summary – Key FindingsImplications

  • Engagement: Only 2.1% (n = 28) reported any NPR use; weekly engagement limited to 0.37% (n = 5).
  • Comparative Media: TikTok (87.4%) and YouTube (84.1%) were dominant. NPR ranked last across all measured platforms.
  • Perceptions: Outdated/irrelevant (61.2%) and politically predictable (49.5%) were the most common descriptors.
  • Qualitative Commentary: Frequently described as “boomer radio,” generationally disconnected, or overly focused on identity politics.

Interpretive Framework

Sociocultural Context
NPR’s model of top-down information delivery contrasts sharply with peer-driven and influencer-mediated platforms. Undergraduate students prefer decentralized sources perceived as authentic, even when less rigorously verified.

Developmental Psychology Context
Emerging adults are in a neurodevelopmental window marked by heightened sensitivity to peer belonging and identity validation. Media engagement patterns reflect this: students gravitate toward platforms that allow rapid identity performance and real-time feedback loops. NPR’s slower, institutional style mismatches these cognitive and social reinforcements.

Institutional Trust and Elitism
The perception of NPR as elitist or ideologically predictable undermines its credibility even within a liberal-leaning student population. Students may perceive NPR less as a neutral arbiter of information and more as an extension of institutional authority.

Limitations

  • Single-institution study, though Northwestern represents a critical elite environment.
  • Reliance on self-report, subject to recall and desirability bias.
  • Cross-sectional design precludes longitudinal interpretation.

Implications for Further Research

  • Multi-campus replication to assess generalizability.
  • Longitudinal analysis of media trust development from adolescence into adulthood.
  • Experimental comparisons of influencer vs. institutional framing on information uptake.

Reviewer Considerations

Peer reviewers are encouraged to assess these findings not solely as an indictment of NPR, but as evidence of structural generational shifts in media consumption and trust.

Statistical Summary of Media Engagement and NPR Perception

Sample Size: N = 1,352 undergraduates
Institution: Northwestern University
Research Period: Fall 2024
Focus: NPR engagement, comparative platform use, perceptions of institutional media

1. Current NPR Engagement

“Do you currently listen to NPR in any format (radio, podcast, online)?”

  • Yes: 2.1% (n = 28)
  • No: 97.9% (n = 1,324)

Interpretation: NPR is nearly absent from the undergraduate media environment.

2. Frequency of NPR Use (n = 28)

  • Daily: 10.7% (n = 3)
  • Weekly: 7.1% (n = 2)
  • Occasionally (≤ once/month): 82.2% (n = 23)

Interpretation: Only 0.37% (n = 5) consume NPR weekly or more.

3. Comparative Weekly Media Use

Platform/Outlet % Weekly Use Notes
TikTok87.4%55.3% use as primary source of political/social news
YouTube84.1%Long-form and influencer-based news
Instagram76.2%Passive, aesthetic-driven
Podcasts (non-NPR)61.7%Includes The Daily, Huberman Lab, Call Her Daddy
Reddit33.8%Meme-based, text-heavy
Legacy Radio6.4%Primarily sports/music
NPR0.37%Ranks last

Interpretation: NPR trails all other platforms, highlighting a generational disengagement.

4. Perceptions of NPR (N = 1,352)

  • Outdated/irrelevant: 61.2%
  • Politically predictable: 49.5%
  • Feels elitist/disconnected: 42.8%
  • Educational/informative: 16.3%
  • Trustworthy journalism: 9.7%
  • Never thought about it: 24.6%

Interpretation: Negative perceptions substantially outweigh positive ones.

5. Qualitative Feedback (n = 274 comments)

  • 22.6%: “Boomer radio”
  • 14.3%: “Trying too hard to be diverse”
  • 11.8%: “Only talk about identity politics or climate”
  • 9.5%: “My parents’ station”

Interpretation: NPR is generationally coded, perceived as a relic of parental media habits.

Key Developmental Implications


  • Generational Collapse: <0.5% weekly NPR engagement signals functional irrelevance among elite undergraduates.
  • Identity & Authenticity: Students prefer media ecosystems that allow identity signaling and authenticity over institutional authority.
  • Institutional Trust Deficit: NPR’s image as ideologically predictable undermines its credibility among even liberal-identifying populations.
  • Cultural Implications: NPR’s inability to attract undergraduates foreshadows challenges in maintaining relevance with future cultural leaders.