NPR is putting some of its highest-profile radio personalities on camera. The public radio network is launching the new video podcast and cross-platform show “NPR Newsmakers” that builds on NPR’s growing investment in video.
The series will feature long-form interviews with NPR radio talent, including “Morning Edition” hosts Steve Inskeep, Michel Martin, A Martinez, and Leila Fadel; “All Things Considered” hosts Ailsa Chang, Mary Louise Kelly, Juana Summers and Scott Detrow; and “Weekend Edition” hosts Ayesha Rascoe and Scott Simon.
Eric Marrapodi, VP for News Programming at NPR, says the show will feature the kind of rigorous journalism NPR is known for, putting questions to policy leaders, cultural figures, disruptors, and changemakers. “No soundbites. No clickbait,” he says. “Each episode goes beyond the news cycle to unpack how and why, leaving audiences with a deeper understanding of the moment we’re living in.”
NPR says “Newsmakers” will be a “cross-platform experience” with the portions of the interviews appearing on the radio shows, as well as on other podcasts like “Up First” and “Consider This.” Every episode will also be available in full as a video podcast on the network’s website, NPR’s YouTube channel, and Spotify.
“This allows us to meet the audience looking for long-form deep dives, where they are, both our core audiences and new audiences,” Marrapodi says in the announcement.
Unlike other podcasts NPR produces, “Newsmakers” is being approached as an “always-on” show. Because of a focus on breaking news, the network will post the episodes as quickly as possible following their recording. That means a new episode may be released any day of the week.
“‘Newsmakers’ builds on NPR’s growing investment in video,” Marrapodi says. “Over the past year, our long-form newsmaker interviews have attracted millions of viewers — from sit-downs with policymakers to conversations with leading cultural figures — underscoring how audiences are hungry for the kind of depth and conversation that only NPR can deliver.”
The premiere episode debuts today (March 27), featuring Maryland Gov. Wes Moore in conversation with Inskeep. Portions of the interview also aired on “Morning Edition.”
