Arbitron (ARB) and Edison Research released their The Infinite Dial: 2011 study. The end report shows that in face of competition from satellite radio, social media and other new media, terrestrial radio lives on.
First, the good news. While the percentage of people 12 years of age and older who listen to local AM/FM radio dropped from 96 percent in 2001, to 93 percent in 2011, the medium still holds sway with large numbers of the people advertisers covet. For instance, 77 percent of the 12+ population that is employed either full-time or part-time (24 percent of the general 12 + population) listens to radio stations on a regular radio while at work. Another 21 percent listen to streams of local AM/FM stations on a computer in the workplace. While the median age of "heavy" radio users is 41, that's 7 years younger than the median age of "heavy" television users. Forty percent of terrestrial radio's listenership falls in the 25-54 year old sweet spot for advertisers.
On the downside, 53 percent of 12- to 34-year olds look to the Internet to find out about new music. Only 39 percent of people in that demographic go to radio first. Forty-two percent of individuals who are 35 years of age and older turn to radio first, while just 19 percent go to the Internet. It's no surprise that radio skews older. And, for most forms of talk programming, it likely tends even higher.
One of the "implications" the study authors list from the report, which I agree with but am not married to, is that Radio is relevant and resilient.
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