Afternoons are emerging as radio’s most valuable daypart, according to Crowd React Media’s State of the Media 2026 report.
The research shows the share of Americans naming afternoons as their primary radio listening time has risen steadily since 2024, while morning drive has declined. One in three U.S. adults now say most of their radio listening occurs in the afternoon — a 21% increase over the past three years. By contrast, the portion identifying morning as their main listening period has dropped 12 percentage points, with four in ten Americans still listening then.
“Afternoon is radio’s rising daypart,” the report states. Although the overall afternoon audience is slightly smaller, those who remain are significantly more committed. “The afternoon drive audience is getting smaller in raw numbers but more committed — cume is down slightly while primary daypart designation is up,” it notes. “The people who are there in the afternoon are really there.”
Listening while working rose from 21% to 30% this year, and listening during exercise increased from 25% to 31%. “The commute and the gym are back as radio contexts,” the report says.
Radio’s stability stands out
Unlike social media, streaming, and podcasts — which have experienced “habit softening” — radio has maintained strong engagement. Weekly reach edged up to 76% of U.S. adults from 75% last year, with listening session lengths holding steady: roughly 40% of listeners spend 30 to 60 minutes per session for the third straight year.
“In a media landscape defined by softening habits, radio’s stability is a competitive advantage — not a consolation prize,” the report concludes.
Four in ten adults ages 18–34 say local content is a key reason they listen to radio — a higher share than among those 55 and older. “The audience the industry most wants to grow is also the audience most motivated by exactly what local radio does best,” Crowd React says.
The full State of the Media 2026 report is available for download HERE.