National Public Radio (NPR) is an independent radio network consisting of member radio stations. NPR is a not for profit organization that produces cultural arts programming and news broadcasts. Members of the NPR radio group are educational and non commercial radio stations that broadcast for at least 18 hours a day. The purpose of NPR broadcasting is to provide more thorough coverage without commercialism in an attempt to broaden the services radio provides as far as cultural programming and a more intelligent form of news casting as well as making alliances with overseas news broadcasters for more thorough news services.
Since NPR's government funding is dwindling, more support is needed through donations and NPR sponsorships. Sponsors of NPR receive benefits such as on air mentions regularly during radio air time that are 10 second acknowledgement spots. NPR sponsors may also receive benefits from NPR's internet site. NPR's online promotion of sponsors is available and is included in certain NPR sponsorship packages. There are different types of sponsorships for NPR and these sponsorships may be customized to serve the NPR sponsor's needs.
NPR has podcasts, news stories and programming that is downloadable to ipods, and NPR sponsors now receive the benefit of having their corporation marketed on the newest trend in news broadcasting. The different stations belonging to the NPR group of public radio stations send there newscasts to NPR and the broadcasts are organized and then kept in a database. NPR may now sell sponsorships that are downloadable into ipods and keep up with changing technology. Short NPR sponsor promotions appear in a non intrusive way at the beginning of podcasts to mention the NPR sponsor for its support.