NPR Distribution works in partnership with producers, distributors and broadcast stations to provide interconnection for the entire public radio system. Consistent delivery of best-in-class technology, process, business practice, and 24-hour customer service in an ever-evolving environment ultimately serves the audiences of public radio.
NPR launched the first nationwide satellite network for broadcast programming more than 40 years ago. Today, the Public Radio Satellite System – the nation’s public radio interconnection system – continues to make advancements in transmission technology that the rest of the industry recognizes as standard.
The PRSS distribution network delivers thousands of hours of news, music, and specialized audience programming every year to public radio stations throughout the United States.
The Network Operations Center (NOC) is our state-of-the-art system control and routing center for audio, compressed video and data transmissions. Since many of your most important broadcasts take place at night, weekends, or even on holidays, our technicians are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist you with any troubleshooting requirements you may have.
Staffed by experienced, highly-qualified technicians, the NOC manages every aspect of activity on NPR Distribution's transponders and system uplinks. The NOC also assists customers with initial access to the satellite channels and verifies power levels. NPR Distribution's NOC is located at NPR headquarters in Washington, DC.
NPR Distribution maintains a 24-hour hot backup in St. Paul, Minnesota. All programming for both ContentDepot and The HUB is simultaneously fed to the main location in Washington, DC and St. Paul. This enables for seamless transition whether it be for normal maintenance and upgrades and an emergency situation.
Broadcast equipment is well made, but occasionally even the best equipment needs to be serviced. NPR Distribution customers can count on our Network Support Center for technical assistance and repairs.
Our NSC's experienced and knowledgeable staff can keep your network on the air by:
The NSC operates during normal business hours (Eastern Time). For off-the-air emergency consultation, the staff is available 24/7. The NSC can be reached at 202.513.2650 or prsshelp@npr.org.
Owned and operated by Intelsat, Galaxy 16’s geostationary-orbital position is 99° west longitude. PRSS leases C-Band bandwidth on transponder 23 of Galaxy 16.
Owned and operated by Intelsat, Galaxy 16’s geostationary-orbital position is 99° west longitude. PRSS leases Ku-Band bandwidth on transponder 10 of Galaxy 16.
NPR, through its NPR Distribution division, manages and operates the Public Radio Satellite System. NPR is governed by its Board of Directors, which includes a standing committee of the Board – the Distribution/Interconnection (D/I) Committee charged with overseeing the operation of the system. The composition of the D/I Committee is unique among board committees in that its membership consists of both NPR Board directors and members who are not NPR directors but instead represent other public telecommunications entities.
The presence of the non-Board members on the Committee reflects NPR Distribution's role as manager and operator of an interconnection system that serves all public telecommunications entities needing satellite and internet distribution services, including public radio stations, program producers, and other organizations not affiliated with NPR. The non-Board members of the D/I Committee are elected by the NPR Board and confirmed by the interconnected stations.
NPR is fully committed to complying with the open financial records requirements of the Communications Act and the requirements of its grant agreements. At all NPR public access points, including NPR headquarters and its telephone and electronic points of contact, requests to provide a physical or electronic copy of the requested information will be addressed in a timely fashion. Copies of the requested information may be subject to reasonable redactions to protect against disclosure of confidential or otherwise sensitive information.
Colin Andrews is the Senior Director of Government Affairs for the Telecommunications Industry Association, where he leads TIA’s advocacy on Capitol Hill, and covers member interests before federal agencies and the Administration. Prior to joining TIA, Andrews worked at a mid-sized law firm with a focus on telecommunication issues before the Federal Communications Commission. Andrews is a graduate of West Virginia University and The George Washington University Law School.
Patricia Cahill has been a leader in the growth and evolution of public media for five decades. Most recently, she was a member of the CPB Board of Directors from 2009 to 2020. She served as the Board's chair from 2012 to 2014, and was elected vice chair in 2011 and 2018.
Ms. Cahill served on the NPR Board of Directors from 1982 to 1988, and was chair of the Board's Distribution/Interconnection, Membership and Development Committees. She was also president of Public Radio in Mid America, and vice president of the Kansas Public Radio Association.
Ms. Cahill started her professional broadcast career as a reporter and producer at KCUR-FM at the University of Missouri-Kansas in 1973. Three years later, she joined Wichita State University's KMUW-FM where she was a reporter, producer, news director, program director and general manager. In 1987, Ms. Cahill returned to KCUR where she served as the station's general manager for 25 years.
Ms. Cahill attended the University of Kansas where she earned a B.A. and M.A.
Mollie Kabler has four decades of public media experience in Alaska. Since 2006, she has served as the executive director of CoastAlaska, Inc., a public media company consisting of a statewide service bureau that supports the work of all 27 public stations in Alaska, including state and federal funding advocacy.
Ms. Kabler attended Carlton College in Northfield, Minnesota, where she majored in biology and received a Bachelor of Arts degree. She also holds a Master's degree in public administration from the University of Alaska Southeast.
Brian Wadsworth is the Chief Operating Officer of Native Public Media, and oversees NPM’s day-to-day operations. He has extensive experience in organizational leadership, financial management, auditing and accounting, spanning tribal and state governments and the private sector. Wadsworth graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Administration and Accounting, and earned an MBA at Gonzaga University.
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