Nielsen: Radio Listening Recovery Remains Strong

On Wednesday, Nielsen held a client webinar to review key insights from just-released AM/FM radio audience data for May diary surveys and June Portable People Meter markets. Nielsen also revealed findings from their third monthly tracking study of consumer sentiment and purchase intentions fielded June 22-24.

Here is what you need to know:

• PPM AM/FM radio audience recovery continues: For the third month, AM/FM radio listening is on the rise across demographics and dayparts in Portable People Meter markets.
• Diary markets audiences remain steady: Medium and smaller diary market audiences continue to be exceptionally stable throughout the COVID-19 crisis.
• Out-of-home listening surges: More time spent working out of home and more time spent in the car power increased AM/FM radio listening.
• Recovery sentiment stable: Half of consumers say they are “ready to go” and resuming normal activity, stable from the prior month. The lack of growth suggests wariness over current virus surge.
• AM/FM radio is the soundtrack of America’s reemergence: While some states are pausing reopening, heavy AM/FM radio listeners are more likely to work outside the home and are the key to the reopening of the economy.
• AM/FM radio listeners are spending more time on the road, increasing listening levels

A variety of data sources reveal Americans are spending more time on the road. Geopath, the outdoor audience measurement service, reports a massive recovery in weekly miles traveled. As of mid-June, in all U.S. markets, miles traveled volumes match or exceed the prior year.

Out-of-home AM/FM radio listening recovers

The out-of-home share of AM/FM radio listening in PPM markets has improved from 58% in April to 68% in June. The share of out-of-home listening in June (68%) is very close to March’s levels (71%). Even at the height of the shelter-at-home period in April, the majority of AM/FM radio listening was still occurring away from home.