American Public Media Leading Public Radio Distribution

American Public Media (APM) is a prominent American company specializing in the production and distribution of public radio programs across the United States. It stands as the second largest company of its kind, following National Public Radio (NPR). APM is operated by its nonprofit parent organization, the American Public Media Group, which also manages radio stations in California and Minnesota, including the well-known brands Minnesota Public Radio and Southern California Public Radio.

Based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, APM is most widely recognized for the distribution of Marketplace, a leading national financial news program.

Historical Ties to Public Radio International

Historically, much of APM's content was distributed through Public Radio International (PRI), which was originally named American Public Radio (APR) until 1994. APR was established by a consortium of four stations—WGBH in Boston, WNYC in New York, KUSC in Los Angeles, and the Minnesota Public Radio network—specifically to distribute A Prairie Home Companion.

While PRI continues to produce and distribute diverse programming, APM (founded in 2004) focuses primarily on content it owns and produces. Notable exceptions to this model include the distribution of the BBC World Service to U.S. stations and the BBC Proms broadcasts from London's Royal Albert Hall.

Investigative and Data Journalism

APM Reports

Established in November 2015, APM Reports is the investigative journalism unit of APM based in St. Paul. The unit produces high-impact documentary and investigative work. Its journalists have received prestigious accolades, including:

• Polk Award: Awarded to Madeleine Baran and Samara Freemark in 2019 for the podcast In the Dark (Season 2), marking the first Polk Award ever given to a podcast.
• Peabody Awards: Won in 2016 and 2020 for the first two seasons of In the Dark.
• Edward R. Murrow Award: Won in 2023 for Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong.

APM Research Lab

Launched in 2017, the APM Research Lab focuses on data journalism and factual research. The Lab collaborates with various newsrooms, including PBS/Frontline and the Texas Newsroom, to bring "facts into focus." One of its most significant projects, Color of Coronavirus, tracks COVID-19 deaths by race and ethnicity across the U.S. and has been cited by major publications such as The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Distributed Programs

APM distributes a wide array of programming, including:

• BBC World Service
• Marketplace and companion programs
• The Daily
• Performance Today
• The Splendid Table
• Classical 24
• On Point
• SymphonyCast

Key Personnel

APM's success is driven by talented hosts and reporters, including Kai Ryssdal (host of Marketplace), Madeleine Baran (lead reporter for In the Dark), and Francis Lam (host of The Splendid Table).