Research: Radio 'Trusted' News Source

NuVoodoo Media Services has released its latest NuVoodoo Ratings Prospects Study of nearly 3,000 persons 14-54 across all PPM markets revealed that people largely trust local radio to give them timely and accurate news.

The NuVoodoo study further showed that this perception is strong across a broad ideological spectrum.

In the NuVoodoo Ratings Prospect Study, respondents were asked the question:"On a scale of "0" to "10," where "0" is no trust at all and "10" is complete trust, how much do you trust these sources to give you timely and accurate news?" Respondents rated a list of 20 media outlets, which are shown below. When NuVoodoo’s consumer research specialists ranked the mean scores for all the news sources listed, they found that “Your local news radio station” ranked number one across the sample. Tied for number one in the sample was “Your daily local newspaper”.

Carolyn Gilbert

When NuVoodoo filtered responses down to the groups likely to accept a meter or diary to play the Nielsen game, “Your local news radio station” becomes a solid number one - ahead of “Your daily local newspaper” as the single most trusted source for timely and accurate news.

Carolyn Gilbert, President, NuVoodoo Media Services, said: “The bottom line is that listeners still trust the radio stations they rely on for news and information. In addition to these findings from our recent NuVoodoo Ratings Prospect Study, we've yet to see a market study where there's not significant consumer interest in weather and traffic reports, even on music stations. When we've had the opportunity to test between-the-songs content for stations, there’s always appreciation of weather and traffic reports (and consistently tolerance, even when the reports run long or get wordy). While listeners may switch over to their local news radio choice when the weather changes threateningly or they're unexpectedly stuck in a traffic jam, there's little downside to radio stations relating to listeners through these bites of information.”

Gilbert notes understand that the way NuVoodoo phrased it had an influence: Your local news radio station can mean different things to different people. Some respondents will be thinking of their local NPR affiliates. In the very largest markets, some respondents will be thinking of all-news radio stations. Other respondents will be thinking of full-service talk stations that have a news wheel in the morning (and, perhaps, afternoon). That flexible interpretation allowed Your local news radio station to be almost as trustworthy for Conservatives as for Liberals.

Gilbert concluded: “Local radio is a platform with continued goodwill in the community. Listeners are interested in things that will impact their lives directly. That can be a powerful combination.”