Stavitsky examines trends taking place in the realm of U.S. public radio, concluding that the conceptualization of localism is changing from a spatially oriented conceptualization (that emphasizes traditional geographic notions of community) to a socially oriented conception (in which community is defined in terms of shared interests, tastes, and values). Stavitsky identifies a number of drivers of this phenomenon, including the high level of popularity of National Public Radio programming, the increased trend towards regional collaboration among stations, the increased reliance on audience research, and the growth of competing programming sources such as American Public Radio. Stavitsky goes on to argue that the traditional spatial conceptualization of localism is outdated in the contemporary media environment, and that policymakers as well as programmers should embrace social conceptualizations of the localism principle.