A Brief Overview of National Public Radio

Though National Public Radio (NPR) was officially incorporated on February 26, 1970, its seeds had been planted in the early days of broadcasting, when the Federal Communications Commission allocated the lower end of the FM band to public purposes. In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act that led to the establishment of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, designed to encourage the growth of non-commercial radio. The network’s first major broadcast covered the U.S. Senate hearings on the Vietnam War, and the offerings continued to expand as the years passed with programs exploring art, culture and the environment. News, however, remains its hallmark. 

In the aftermath of the attack on the World Trade Center, NPR became increasingly meaningful. The network gained listeners as it provided timely and informative coverage of 9/11, the presidential election in 2004, and the Iraq war. NPR continues to evolve, embracing technological changes and introducing new digital platforms for its programming.

About Amita Vadlamudi:
An avid listener of NPR, Vadlamudi is deeply concerned with improving the world in many ways. Amita Vadlamudi volunteers as a shelf-leader at her local library, and supports numerous socially responsible and impactful organizations.