Insights: More Miles = More Radio Listening

Pierre Bouuvard

Just-released Nielsen AM/FM radio listening data reveals the recovery of AM/FM radio listening continues. Google search trends and consumer driving behavior from Geopath and Apple Maps have predicted AM/FM radio audience growth, according to Pierre Bourvard Chief Insights Officer At Cumulus Media / Westwood One.

Google Trends: COVID concerns drop

According to the 21-month Google Trend for COVID searches, in January/February 2020, there were few Google searches on the term COVID. In March 2020, Google searches for COVID exploded and then subsided in May 2020.

A second wave of COVID search volumes occurred in June 2020 and then fell off the rest of summer into September. In October 2020, a third wave of COVID search volumes reached their highest point and remained elevated until April 2021 when search activity began dropping.

In July 2021, concerns over the Delta variant pushed up search volumes again in a fourth wave, which peaked in August 2021. All through September and into October 2021, COVID search volumes have sharply fallen. As of early October 2021, COVID Google searches are down -56% from the peak of consumer interest with a 44 index.

Nielsen: AM/FM radio listening recovery continues as September Portable People Meter listening was up +4% over the prior year

The strong recovery in miles traveled and driving has powered AM/FM radio listening recovery. Since the onset of the pandemic, Nielsen has reported listening in their PPM and diary markets benchmarked against March 2020.

The just-released 48 PPM markets reveal September 2021 AQH listening was 94% of March 2020 volumes and was up +4% versus September 2020. The trend of AM/FM radio listening recovery mirrors the driving trends from both Geopath and Apple Maps.

Nielsen: Diary market audiences were not impacted by COVID as listening has been rock steady

The just-released June-July-August diary market audience data represents the 17th month of rock steady average quarter-hour listening levels. Geopath miles traveled data reveals the reduction in driving in 2020 occurred mostly in the largest markets where the Portable People Meter is utilized.

Outside the top 50 markets, Geopath has shown very strong miles traveled, reflected in Nielsen’s stable diary market listening trends.


Geopath: U.S. September 2021 miles traveled were +5% greater than September 2019

Geopath, the Nielsen of outdoor advertising industry, tracks vehicular miles traveled. Comparing monthly traffic volumes to the same month in 2019 illustrates changes in American travel due to COVID.

From March 2020 to March 2021, miles traveled lagged behind 2019. Since April 2021, miles traveled recovered and matched pre-COVID benchmarks. August volumes dipped -5% but in September 2021, miles traveled grew +5% versus September 2019.'