NPR and Columbia Turn Podcast Into Research Infrastructure, Recruiting 20,000 Participants

NPR's six-part "Body Electric" podcast series, launched October 2023 with Columbia University, recruited over 20,000 participants for a study on technology's health impacts. A 60% completion rate far exceeds typical remote study retention. The partnership demonstrates how media platforms can serve as both recruitment and engagement mechanisms for academic research at population scale—a model increasingly relevant as workplace wellness programs expand.