Every year, thousands of hours of radio programming is made by independent producers and local radio stations, far more than is ever delivered to radio audiences. Many are high-quality stories that deserve greater exposure, but they are only heard by small communities of listeners — if they are broadcast at all.

Until recently, finding, evaluating, and purchasing these audio pieces and programs was extremely difficult and time-consuming. There was no central bazaar where producers could sell their products, or where programmers could find them. Today, there is.

Public Radio Exchange (PRX) is an online marketplace for the licensing and acquisition of radio stories produced for public radio. It was created using MacArthur funds by PRX Executive Director Jake Shapiro and his team in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The website and software they developed allow independent producers to upload their own pieces to the PRX site in a digital format. Then local radio stations can search, audition, and download them. PRX monitors all the transactions, rights, usage statistics, and payments through individual accounts. Radio stations that produce their own programs can also upload them for other stations to acquire and air. Listeners are also invited to participate, by auditioning, rating, and reviewing pieces on the web.

After less than three years of operation, PRX is used by 360 stations and over 1,000 producers. Eventually, it expects to serve 700 public radio stations in the United States. And as digital technology evolves, so is PRX. The service already offers programs via podcast and other new sound platforms to extend its reach to new audiences.

Ease of use and diverse content are helping PRX make these inroads. Recent stories include “The War of the Gods,” an epic poem about Muhammed Ali by Matthew Cowley, the Poet Laureate of Tampa, Florida; “Lessons Learned: Preventing School Violence,” produced by Rebecca Kresma for KBYU radio in Utah; “The Peace Corps at 45,” featuring five former Peace Corps volunteers, produced by Good Radio Shows, Inc. in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and “Dear Mom: I joined the Marines,” written by Omar Macias and produced by Curie Youth Radio, a student project at Curie High School on Chicago’s Southwest Side. A few years ago, most of these stories would never have aired beyond their local communities. Today, thanks to PRX, you may hear one of them where you live.

Public Radio Exchange (PRX)—Station Resources Group >>

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