Nielsen: RADAR Indicates Radio Increasing Reach

Nielsen today released highlights from the March 2014 RADAR 120 National Radio Listening Report.

According to the report, the total U.S. radio audience has increased by more than 1.2 million weekly listeners since March 2013, and now reaches 244.4 million Americans on an average weekly basis – 92 percent of the total U.S. population ages 12 and older. Daily time spent listening among radio listeners ages 12 and up now averages approximately 2 hours and 41 minutes a day, holding steady from the previous year.

Radio increased its national reach again according to this survey, adding more than a million listeners on a weekly basis in the March 2014 RADAR report.

According to the March 2014 RADAR report, the national audience aged 18 to 34 grew by more than half a million compared to the previous year, reaching 91.9 percent of all 18 to 34 year-olds.

Radio’s national reach also increased among African-American and Hispanic audiences, compared to the previous year. Radio now reaches more than 31 million African-American listeners ages 12 and older in an average week, or 91.7 percent of the total U.S. African-American population.

Hispanic audiences grew by more than half a million (574,000) listeners, meaning radio now reaches 93.6 percent of all Hispanics in the U.S. ages 12 and older in an average week. The increase among Hispanics was spread evenly among those demographics aged 18 to 34 (added 286,000 more listeners), 18 to 49 (298,000 more listeners) and 25 to 54 (243,000 more listeners).

Nielsen advises:  Please note that this release will be the first time Nielsen reports the findings based on the Mon-Sun 12M-12M daypart; past RADAR press releases used the Mon-Sun 6A-12M daypart. This change was made in an effort to present a more complete picture of the total possible audience. As a result of this change, historical comparisons or trends based on past RADAR press releases should not be made.