Canadian Radio: Surprising First Look At COVID-19 Impact

While the U.S. is still a week away from the publication of the March Nielsen Portable Meter People data, this week's Westwood One blog looks at Canada’s just-released AM/FM radio audience data, providing insight on how “sheltering at home” impacts listening.

Numeris, Canada’s TV and AM/FM radio audience measurement firm, publishes weekly AM/FM radio listening data. Canada’s AM/FM radio marketing organization, Radio Connects, conducted an analysis of five major markets worth of PPM listening from December 30, 2019 to March 29, 2020.

• As of the last week of March, Canadian AM/FM radio has retained 86% of typical weekly reach levels. Despite a March 9 “shelter at home” mandate, AM/FM radio reach levels for the most recent week of March 23 – ​29 were at 86% of January 2020 levels.
• At home AM/FM radio listening has soared +29%. From Monday, February 24, 2020 to Monday, March 30, 2020, average minute audience, Canada’s version of average quarter-hour audience, has increased +29%.
• The at-home share of total AM/FM radio listening has increased +73%. As is the case in the U.S., typically 30% of Canadian AM/FM radio listening occurs at home. By the last week of March, Canada’s at-home share of total AM/FM radio listening grew to 52%.
• 48% of AM/FM radio listening is still occurring away from home. As of the last week of March, 48% of Canadian AM/FM radio listening is still occurring away from home.
• Among adults 25-54, 10AM–3PM AM/FM radio listening has surged +79%. “As work shifts to the home, so is workplace listening,” says Caroline Gianias, Radio Connects President.
• News/Talk AM/FM radio audiences have increased +13%. Canadian News/Talk audiences have increased from February 17 – March 8 to March 9 – 29. Gianias notes, “As Canadians face challenging times, they are again turning to the lifeline provided by News and News/Talk radio."