What is the PRSS?

The Public Radio Satellite System^® (PRSS) is the distribution network through which thousands of hours of news, music, and specialized audience programming are delivered every year to public radio stations throughout the United States. If you are seeking to distribute or receive public radio content via a high-quality and reliable delivery system, the PRSS can help.

Managed by NPR Distribution, the PRSS is a unique, cooperative enterprise. Each Participating Station is a stakeholder in the collective assets of, and services provided by, the satellite system. Interconnected stations own their own downlink and uplink equipment. The satellite transponder capacity, as well as the national operating system equipment located in Washington, are owned by the Public Radio Satellite Interconnection System Charitable Trust.

Today, the PRSS includes more than 400 downlinks, and over 250 program producers and distributors. Many additional stations also receive programming sent over the satellite through local connections with downlink stations or through the ContentDepot portal. Located at NPR headquarters in Washington, DC, the Network Operations Center (NOC) is our state-of-the-art system control and routing center for audio and data transmissions as well as the master uplink for PRSS programming.