Radio And Podcasts Can Recapture Lost TV Reach

At first glance the fall TV network schedules suggest the work stoppages have had an impact: They are overstuffed with reality competitions and game shows, whose employees generally work under different contracts from those of the Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA.

To understand the degree to which Americans are aware of the Hollywood writers and actors strike and how media habits might shift as a result, the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group® retained MARU/Matchbox to conduct a nationally representative study of 1,003 Americans conducted August 25-28, 2023. 

The findings are outlined in this week’s blog.

• Eight of ten Americans are aware of the Hollywood writers/actors strike while only two-thirds of 18-34s are aware; The older the demographic, the greater the strike awareness.
• 18-34s are most likely to boycott a film/TV show or unsubscribe to a streaming service if urged by their favorite actor.
• Of those aware of the strike, 27% say they will watch less TV this Fall due to increased repeats, reality shows, and game shows. Among those aware of the strike, 32% say they will watch less TV this Fall. 5% say they will watch more. Thus, the net of the two means 27% will watch less TV this Fall.
• Among heavy linear TV viewers who are aware of the strike, 22% say they will watch less TV this Fall. 25% of heavy TV viewers say they will watch less and 3% say they will watch more for a net reduction of 22%. Still, one out of five heavy TV viewers say they will be watching less TV this Fall.
• Those who say they will watch less TV this Fall due to the strike will spend more time watching TV shows/movies on streaming, listening to audio (podcasts, AM/FM radio, or music streaming services), and spending time with family/friends/outdoors.
• AM/FM radio makes your TV better. No matter the size of a TV budget, shifting 20% of TV spend to AM/FM radio results in a massive increase in reach.