iTunes Radio Adds NPR, with More News Channels on the Way

itunes_radio_nprApple's iTunes Radio streaming music service is expanding today with the addition of a new National Public Radio (NPR) channel, reports Re/code.

NPR’s channel, which should be live today, will offer a free stream, 24 hours a day, which mixes live news with segments from pre-recorded shows like “All Things Considered” and “The Diane Rehm Show.” NPR officials say that within weeks, some of the broadcaster’s local stations should begin offering their own channels, with a similar mix of live and taped news.

NPR has also been working on bringing on-demand programming based on users' tastes to its mobile apps, and it is possible that functionality could come to the station's iTunes Radio service as well.

The report notes that it is currently unclear what the business relationship between Apple and NPR is in terms of generating revenue for NPR, but NPR vice president of digital media Zach Brand says that Apple has been "very understanding of the business model" used by the nonprofit.

iTunes Radio launched in the United States last September alongside iOS 7, and expanded to Australia last month. Apple is reportedly looking to also expand iTunes Radio to the UK, Canada, and New Zealand early this year, with an eventual goal of bringing the service to at least 100 countries.

Update: Direct link to NPR channel

Popular Stories

iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Thursday January 15, 2026 10:56 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another eight months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models, as of January 2026: The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

These 5 Apple Products Will Reportedly Be Upgraded With OLED Displays

Friday January 16, 2026 7:07 pm PST by
Apple plans to upgrade the iPad mini, MacBook Pro, iPad Air, iMac, and MacBook Air with OLED displays between 2026 and 2028, according to DigiTimes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that the iPad mini and MacBook Pro will receive an OLED display as early as this year, but he does not expect the MacBook Air to adopt the technology until 2028 at the earliest. A new iPad Air is...
Apple Wallet ID Illinois

Apple Plans to Expand iPhone Driver's Licenses to These 7 U.S. States

Friday January 16, 2026 12:12 pm PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
iOS 27 Mock Quick

iOS 27 Will Add These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday January 18, 2026 3:51 pm PST by
iOS 27 is still many months away, but there are already plenty of rumors about new features that will be included in the software update. The first beta of iOS 27 will be released during WWDC 2026 in June, and the update should be released to all users with a compatible iPhone in September. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

MacBook Pro Buyers Now Facing Up to a Two-Month Wait Ahead of New Models

Sunday January 18, 2026 6:50 pm PST by
MacBook Pro availability is tightening on Apple's online store, with select configurations facing up to a two-month delivery timeframe in the United States. A few 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro configurations with an M4 Pro chip are not facing any shipping delay, but estimated delivery dates for many configurations with an M4 Max chip range from February 6 to February 24 or even later. At...

Top Rated Comments

newagemac Avatar
154 months ago
Long time Pandora and Spotify user here. Listened to iTunes radio for about an hour this weekend. Heard 4 commercials. They were the same commercial. Back to Spotify, then.

Long time iTunes Radio user here. Haven't heard a single commercial yet... iTunes Match FTW. ;)
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Todd B. Avatar
154 months ago
Hopefully they'll add the BBC, too. I know I can get it from the old radio format but it'd be nice to be folded right into the iTunes Radio branding.

Honestly, if they keep it up and add more live music, etc. it could be a nice XM/Sirius competitor.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jlwarlow Avatar
154 months ago
Us Canadians would like some iTunes Radio… especially with no alternatives such as Pandora and Spotify.

Is licensing impossible in Canada or what?

UK would like some too!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Frankied22 Avatar
154 months ago
This is a nice surprise.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
whsbuss Avatar
154 months ago
Long time Pandora and Spotify user here. Listened to iTunes radio for about an hour this weekend. Heard 4 commercials. They were the same commercial. Back to Spotify, then.

OMG - Pandora & Spotify (free) has so many more ads/interruptions than iTunes Radio ever does.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
octothorpe8 Avatar
154 months ago
Speaking of NPR, the New York affiliate WNYC has been working a really cool iOS app geared toward a rather NYC-specific problem: going into the subway and losing internet.

You open it, tell it how long you'll be underground, and it will build and download for offline use a set of stories based on the categories you're interested it. Very cool so far, and they seem to be actively improving it.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)