Radio Is Still Alive

“There are a lot of critics out there that want to write off broadcast radio, but this analysis of real-time media consumption shows that it continues to play a very strong role”

– Michael Link , VP of Methodological Research at The Nielsen Company

A single source landmark study published in 2009 showed that radio is second only to television – and a very close second – in how much time the average person actually spends with each medium.  The $3.5 million dollar Nielsen – funded study conducted by Ball State’s Center for Media Design with oversight by the council of Research Excellence, is the most comprehensive study of media usage ever conducted on the audio consumption habits of U.S. consumers.

• It confirmed that broadcast radio is the dominant form of audio media at home, work and in the car.
• 77 percent of the population was observed listening to broadcast radio each day for an average of 109 minutes.
• Among key advertising-based media platforms, live television had the highest reach and daily usage at 95.3 percent for 331 minutes a day but …
• Radio far exceeded the Internet at 63.7 percent and 77 minutes, newspapers at 34.6 percent and 41 minutes, and magazines at 26.5 percent and 22 minutes.

More than 90 percent of adults are exposed to some form of audio media on a daily basis, with broadcast radio having by far the largest share of listening time.

Additionally, almost half (46%) of those observed listened exclusively to broadcast radio and had no exposure to MP3’s, satellite radio, streaming, or stored digital music on a computer.

As for satellite radio, just 15 percent of the population listens to satellite radio daily for 81  minutes a day.  Interestingly, almost 90 percent of those that do listen to satellite also tune in to broadcast radio each day for an average of 109 minutes.  They listen more to “terrestrial” radio than satellite.  (Source-Katz Marketing Solutions)