![](https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Header-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=400&s=d390f53e4150e6b12da0a4da95c07d2e 400w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Header-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=600&s=09e8c445127a069031f06458c98731fb 600w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Header-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=800&s=5e1fa5855b9b440fead704901004b5e6 800w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Header-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=1000&s=135f03fa20113feb8d12b6181268d6b1 1000w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Header-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=1200&s=724c1ff695cf9773af5f5f7afa41e0e8 1200w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Header-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=1400&s=8619f837ee2f6d8c3af61d4ca1173b9d 1400w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Header-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=1600&s=7a2a6dc920993e503d0c0863598fba39 1600w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Header-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=1800&s=831257b1ee70b543c1ebda1ee73e37c5 1800w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Header-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=2000&s=78cde38b99e281ec805409111153c5fd 2000w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Header-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=2200&s=bd1bb4aff590f4d71bbc599e82139587 2200w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Header-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=2400&s=e0ffc4874c6617315e0f9b43bcb5a24d 2400w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Header-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=2600&s=a941bc92bb4e05add3c3e1de2608ade6 2600w)
For more than 40 years, the renowned radio show “Fresh Air with Terry Gross” has engaged audiences around the world. The program is aired on more than 650 NPR stations and is one of the internet’s most listened-to podcasts. All told, the Peabody-winning Terry Gross has interviewed over 13,000 subjects, creating a vast collection with untold archival possibilities.
Fresh Air came to Designit with a unique challenge: In such a competitive media arena, how can you develop something new based on a rich cultural touchstone that will provide a sustainable source of revenue for WHYY? The show wanted to maintain Fresh Air’s philanthropic mission as a public media asset, keeping the archives accessible for everyone, but also find new ways to bring a deeper value to “super fans,” as well as reach new listeners.
To tackle this challenge, we spoke with listeners, as well as the creators of other popular podcasts and podcasting platforms. At the same time, we built financial models to assess the size of different opportunities, then deployed a survey to pressure test our new concepts. We identified a handful of potential solutions, including leveraging third-party touch points and the creation of additional products centered around the archive. Finally, we defined features of the website that could serve as an access point for the full archive.
Our concepts provided a strategy for reaching new listeners through their search habits, while ensuring that current listeners could easily access, download, and share episodes and playlists. Meanwhile, new products based on the archives will ensure that the archives remain relevant and the Fresh Air legacy be assured for years to come.
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![](https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Body-Landscape-3b.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=600&s=ba5432dddb6b97d8bea5ba07b3d559cd 600w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Body-Landscape-3b.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=800&s=c9c7f9155ada45e8923fdd67939e8c3d 800w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Body-Landscape-3b.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=1000&s=51d6c6a0028dccc874d0f03ba4a5f6c7 1000w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Body-Landscape-3b.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=1200&s=2e86806a62b4e2854d72fa4f1eae0748 1200w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Body-Landscape-3b.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=1400&s=daeb4928926d7e1bf44161ee597b347a 1400w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Body-Landscape-3b.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=1600&s=ed04536a7d5452031899de6e838e7705 1600w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Body-Landscape-3b.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=1800&s=5f15a2e9057fd33da10f5f550ea82e5b 1800w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Body-Landscape-3b.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=2000&s=5b0923d49957e60b30612c46a5947dd3 2000w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Body-Landscape-3b.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=2200&s=530c93d093b4b0285c752c7ec649e4b4 2200w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Body-Landscape-3b.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=2400&s=ca18fe02e08381fccb27756d4e7558cd 2400w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/WHYY-Body-Landscape-3b.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb&fit=clip&q=90&w=2600&s=a6c600049babfda87c57e2a430e623aa 2600w)
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‘Designit was the perfect partner for WHYY as we explored possible new products around the Fresh Air Archive. The team’s experience with product development, user research, and business design meant that they were able to address all aspects of the product puzzle. They delivered valuable insights and immediate action items on time and within budget. The cherry on top: the team was absolutely a delight to work with!’
![](https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Case-studies/WHYY-Fresh-Air/1527083154395.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&cs=srgb&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=160&q=90&w=160&s=85b72aa57de092a91362cbf9111054a7)
Gabriel Coan
Vice President of Digital Strategies and Services, WHYY
SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Fresh Air maintained its philanthropic mission and kept its archives accessible while exploring strategies to reach new listeners.
Details
Client
Project team
Contact info for Valentina Canavesio
Senior Design Researcher,
New York
Contact info for Eunice Chung
Senior Digital Designer
Get in touch
![](https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Studios/New-York/designit_NYX_16x9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&cs=srgb&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=493&q=90&w=400&s=453b121f22a27591ca4042a87f711bd2 400w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Studios/New-York/designit_NYX_16x9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&cs=srgb&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=739&q=90&w=600&s=0ce5ddca68d54bf3593cd414d0552df4 600w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Studios/New-York/designit_NYX_16x9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&cs=srgb&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=986&q=90&w=800&s=0c926ffcf7b3922dc424162fb56af379 800w, https://designit-web.imgix.net/images/Studios/New-York/designit_NYX_16x9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&cs=srgb&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1232&q=90&w=1000&s=b0b4e589f72e621a0ecc4ecc3698fe78 1000w)