Michael Smith joined National Public Radio as chief marketing officer at a time when the nation -- and the world -- had just entered crisis mode. Hear how he adapted to his new job while while he adapted the company’s marketing, outreach and the very stance the brand has taken over the past years. Part of that shift was motivated by more digital audio listening given more at-home workers during our pandemic. The other motivation was to amplify more multicultural voices and drive greater diversity within the the company itself.

In Episode 15 of Insider Interviews with E.B. Moss, Smith shares his marketing POV and how different audiences respond to the content. For example, Smith explains that "among regular users when we look at people of color versus white listeners, their satisfaction levels are actually higher. So it's an exciting thing in the sense that if NPR can get more people to know that we're there and get us into their consideration set, when they come I think they're going to love it and they're going to stay and they're going to be really engaged.”

Smith and Moss discuss the corornavirus-related content that NPR has been praised for, what has replaced their popular live podcast personality events in their current marketing plans, and how the very style of NPR audio drives the trust of the listening audience. (Moss also shares the impact Guy Raz had on her as a reporter!)

The fast 35-minute discussion includes talk about the challenges many media companies are facing right now -- with some suggestions all brands can appreciate from a worldclass marketer like Smith.