Techsurvey10: "Radio At The Digital Tipping Point”

In Jacobs Media's new study of core radio listeners, the impact of digitally delivered media continues its rise, providing both opportunity and challenges to traditional radio broadcasters.

Fred Jacobs

The media habits of 11 different format core audiences, along with five generations, are examined in this mega-survey of radio listeners.

From Boomers to Millennials, different patterns of consumption emerge.

And as Jacobs Media President Fred Jacobs points out, "We learned a lot about how digital's growth is changing media habits, but by studying the movement of younger listeners - Generations Y and Z - we gain an even greater understanding of where the puck is headed."

Here are some of the key findings from Techsurvey10:

• Core radio listeners are moving fast to digital media & gadgetry - TS10 now shows that three-fourths (75%) own a smartphone, while more than half (51%) carry a tablet.  And now more than half (55%) stream audio at least weekly, while two-thirds (67%) access online video during a typical 7-day period.
• Radio is on both sides of the digital tipping point - While 95% still tune in daily, fewer respondents listen for a minimum of an hour on a typical day.  And perceptually, radio listening has momentum.  Compared to a year ago, only 9% say they’re listening to less radio, compared to 9 in 10 who say they’re listening to the same amount of radio – or more.
• And many respondents are now actively accessing station content on digital channels. When asked to recall their prior week's listening to the station that sent them the survey, 17% of all broadcast radio consumption is occurring on digital channels – via computer and mobile streams, as well as on other sources.  The younger the generation, the more reliance there is on digital platforms to enjoy broadcast radio.
• Pandora is experiencing its own tipping point - And it centers around its commercial load.  While still the most popular of the pure-plays by a wide margin, criticisms of Pandora continue to intensify, led by perceptions that its commercials are annoying.  And while Gen Y and Z consumers are the top generations for Pandora listening, they are also the most critical of its commercials.
• The "connected car" movement continues - Now nearly one-fifth (19%) of respondents say their vehicle (or the one they ride in most often) sports a system like Audi Connect or Ford SYNC.  Similar to last year, half (50%) say the lion's share of their radio listening takes place in cars, especially progressively younger consumers.