Survey: Few Teens Consider FM Prime Music Source

To explore youths’ attitudes toward radio, researchers at Mark Kassof & Co. conducted 506 online surveys with 13-20-year-olds earlier this month — September 12th through 17th.  They learned that an FM radio is just one of many sources of music for them, and nowhere near their top one. Only 7% name FM radio as the device they listen to most for music! That puts it well behind smartphones, iPods and even PCs:

FM is more of a secondary music source, but even then, it’s the second secondary source

Of course, 13-20’s  (like others) can listen to FM (and AM) stations on their new tech devices. Kassof asked if they had ever listened to the online stream of an FM or AM station…67% had. And if they had, we asked how often they’ve listened to an FM or AM station online. This table reflects both questions:

So, if younger people represent the future, then “over the air” radio will increasingly represent a small aspect of overall listening. For most 13-20-year-olds, it’s already there. That’s why greater emphasis on streaming and station apps is absolutely essential to the survival of existing radio brands.