NPR Unveils New Terrestrial Delivery Platform To Modernize Public Radio Distribution.

NPR is making a major move to upgrade how public radio content gets delivered nationwide. The network announced the development of a new terrestrial distribution platform to enhance live broadcast delivery and transform how its programming reaches stations.

The initiative is being led by NPR Distribution, the team behind the Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS), which currently delivers content to about 1,200 public radio outlets, including NPR Member stations and community broadcasters.

At the heart of this effort is a new receiver called ContentDepot Edge. NPR says the low-latency hardware/software system will work over public internet connections—fiber, 5G, and satellite internet—and integrate seamlessly with the existing ContentDepot platform. Key upgrades include station-to-station content sharing, geo-targeted delivery, and enhanced metadata and playback functionality.

For stations, the promise is a plug-and-play device that maintains all core satellite capabilities while offering higher audio quality and faster file transfers, without sacrificing reliability or uptime.

A pilot program is slated for this summer, with NPR partnering with 16 public radio stations and a few commercial partners to test the system under different network conditions. ContentDepot Edge will operate alongside current satellite gear during the pilot, ensuring no service interruptions.

The project is seen as a response to long-standing barriers that have hindered public radio's adoption of terrestrial broadband for distribution. NPR says this upgrade will help keep interconnection affordable, dependable, and forward-looking, paving the way for expanded capabilities and resilience in the years ahead.

PRSS launched more than four decades ago, and NPR says this next evolution in infrastructure continues its legacy of innovation and service to stations and listeners nationwide.