Popular radio show cancelled deal with distributor in March, though Ira Glass claims new model will have no impact on fans

This American Life will independently distribute its content to more than 500 public radio stations, the organization announced on Wednesday.

This American Life cancelled its distribution deal with Public Radio International (PRI) in March, after working with the company since 1997. The show's distribution will now be handled by Public Radio Exchange, although This American Life will take over marketing and underwriting of the show.

“What’s this mean to you? Nothing!” the show’s host Ira Glass said in a statement. “This American Life will remain on the same radio stations at the same times.”

Starting on 1 July, Chicago Public Media will use PRX to deliver the show to radio stations. More than 2.2 million people listen to show on the radio, weekly, and it is regularly the most popular podcast on iTunes in the US.

“Radio – and the technology of moving audio over the internet – has changed so much that at this point, there’s little a distributor can do for us that we can’t do on our own,” Glass said.

This American Life has worked with PRX to distribute the program on iTunes and mobile apps. With this deal, PRX might be able to compete with the three biggest US public radio distributors – PRI, American Public Media, and NPR.

“What they’re about is the democratization of public radio,” Glass said. “Making it easy for you or any newcomer to get their work into the hands of program directors. I admire that.”

Glass said that he heard bids from several radio distributors following the announcement that This American Life was dropping its deal with PRI. He also received offers to leave public radio for satellite radio, which he declined. “For better or worse, I seem to be a public radio lifer,” Glass said.

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