Beginning Monday, March 23rd, NPR will launch a nightly hour of special programming about the global pandemic weekdays (Monday - Friday) at 8pm CT. The National Conversation with All things Considered will be hosted by NPR's Ari Shapiro and Michel Martin. During that hour NPR will present a live national conversation to engage with listeners and answer questions focused on the coronavirus crisis, using a combination of social media sourcing and audience call-outs, in addition to expert interviews.

NPR will gather questions from listeners and readers about the coronavirus and stories of how people are coping, surviving, and thriving in the new reality from around the country on social media and through this link. Listeners can also share their questions for NPR's reporters and outside experts using the hashtag #nprconversation on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Special guests will be featured to answer questions on everything from epidemiology to economics to exercising at home. 

"In times of crisis, Americans need a trusted, impartial source of news," said Sarah Gilbert, NPR's vice president for news programming. "We believe public radio is uniquely positioned to convene these types of national conversations across communities. With over 1000 Member station signals reaching nearly the entire U.S. population, NPR has served a lifeline - providing local and national news to even the most underserved areas."

The National Conversation is part of a suite of special programming from NPR designed to engage, inform and support audiences through this pandemic, including the Coronavirus Daily podcast hosted by Kelly McEvers, an hour-long weekly report hosted by Lulu Garcia-Navarro, and the live blog.