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Public Radio International, or PRI, is a not-for-profit corporation based in the United States founded in 1983 to develop non-commercial audio programming for public radio and other audio venues. It is the United States' largest distributor of non-commercial radio programming. "PRI" produces or co-produces some of the programs it distributes, but most of them are produced by other entities.
PRI distributes over 400 hours of programming each week. Topics include news, classical music, and contemporary culture. Approximately 740 radio stations and other audio venues broadcast PRI programs or stream them online. According to 2002 Arbitron ratings, 15.2 million listeners hear PRI programming each week.
Although many National Public Radio (NPR) stations broadcast shows distributed by PRI, NPR and PRI are distinct, competing radio producers and distributors. Many listeners associate popular shows such as This American Life, and Marketplace with NPR, but these shows and many more are actually distributed by PRI.
When it was founded, PRI was known as American Public Radio. The corporation changed its name to Public Radio International in 1994 to reflect its growing interest and involvement in international audio publishing.
PRI programming receives funding from station fees, corporate underwriting, and individual and corporate grants. Less than 2% of PRI's World Music Productions