WNYC Studios will begin distributing Science Friday in April through a new partnership, the station announced Thursday.
Public Radio International has distributed the weekly science program since 2014. The show airs on nearly 400 public radio stations.
As part of the agreement, WNYC will also handle sponsorship for Science Friday and its spinoff podcast Undiscovered after Friday. The station also aims to help grow the show’s live and digital audiences. It will take over distribution April 11.
“We’re excited to join forces with WNYC Studios,” host Ira Flatow said in a press release. “Like us, they produce great audio while always looking towards the future.”
While the program had a good relationship with PRI, it is “excited to be with a radio and podcast powerhouse,” said Christian Skotte, co-director and head of digital for Science Friday.
Radio remains the “bread and butter” for Science Friday, which has a weekly audience of almost 2 million, Skotte said. But the show is also looking to start new podcasts. It offers its radio show as a podcast and launched its first podcast of original content, Undiscovered, last year.
“As we look to the future, even though radio growth is going up right now, that may not be a permanent thing,” Skotte said. “Podcasts are growing fast, and we definitely want to diversify where we are. And we think that WNYC Studios is going to be just a great partner with us for that.”
Flatow and the Science Friday staff will continue to produce the show from their New York City studios.
Update: This post was updated with comments from Skotte.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly said that PRI has distributed Science Friday since 2013. It began distributing the show in 2014.