The Jacobs Media Techsurvey 2025, released Tuesday, provides fresh insights into the media consumption habits of nearly 25,000 core radio listeners across the U.S. and Canada, surveyed in January and February 2025.
Conducted in partnership with Inside Radio and sponsored by Quu, this 21st annual survey tracks digital, audio, and video platform trends, focusing on listener behaviors by age, gender, ethnicity, and 10–12 radio formats.
Key Findings from Techsurvey 2025
YouTube’s Rise in Audio Consumption: YouTube has emerged as a significant platform for audio content, with listeners using it for radio station streams, podcasts, audiobooks, and music. This reflects a shift from traditional radio to digital platforms for audio engagement. The survey highlights YouTube’s role in short-form video consumption, indicating its growing influence in how audiences access media.
Smart TVs as Audio Hubs: Smart TVs are increasingly used for audio content, including radio streams, Spotify, podcasts, and audiobooks, as traditional home radios decline. This trend underscores the need for broadcasters to optimize content for smart TV platforms.
Time-Shifting and Newsletters: New questions in 2025 explore time-shifting content (e.g., listening to radio or podcasts on-demand) and the role of online newsletters in engaging audiences. These reflect evolving preferences for flexible, personalized media consumption.
Radio’s Enduring Appeal: Despite digital competition, radio remains a key medium, with 61% of listeners tuning in for engaging personalities (up from 2024). The survey emphasizes radio’s strength in providing companionship and local content. Radio’s “free” attribute continues to resonate, with 64% of respondents citing it as a main reason for listening (up from 59% in 2023), particularly among Gen Z (72%) and Millennials (69%).
Fewer listeners are tuning into AM/FM radio via traditional methods and more opting for digital platforms. The survey indicates that in 2013, a robust 85% of respondents listened to their favorite radio brands through terrestrial broadcast radio. By 2016, this number had slightly decreased to 77%.
The downward trend continued, dropping to 59% by 2025. In contrast, digital consumption has seen substantial growth. In 2013, only 14% of listeners preferred digital platforms; this figure increased to 20% in 2016 and surged to 39% by 2025, marking a 19% rise over the decade.
Interestingly, while digital listening habits have expanded, the ownership of smart speakers has not seen parallel growth. The survey reveals that smart speaker ownership remained flat in recent years. As of 2025, 39% of respondents owned a smart speaker, mirroring the percentage from 2024 and showing a marginal 1% increase from 2023. Since 2020, there has been only a 4% overall increase in smart speaker ownership.
In-Car Listening and Competition: The car remains radio’s top listening location, though competition from streaming, podcasts, and connected car features (e.g., Apple CarPlay, Android Auto) is intensifying. The survey examines how the “in-car rebound” post-COVID affects listening habits.
AI Perceptions: Building on 2024 findings, Techsurvey 2025 likely continues tracking attitudes toward AI in media. In 2024, 51% of respondents were “very concerned” about AI’s impact on elections, with News/Talk listeners most skeptical. Alternative and Sports Radio fans were more likely to use AI (15% overall).
Demographic and Format Insights: The survey provides format-specific data (e.g., Country, News/Talk, Urban AC) and demographic breakdowns. For example, 2024 data showed Country (46%) and News/Talk (42%) listeners leaning Republican, while Urban AC (54%) and Triple-A (48%) skewed Democratic. Similar political and behavioral trends are expected in 2025.
Methodology and Scope: Sample Size: 25,000 respondents from 500 participating commercial radio stations, covering diverse formats and broadcasting companies. Respondent Profile: Core listeners (“the 20% in the 80:20 rule”), tech-savvy, and surveyed via station email databases and social media. Data is weighted by market size (e.g., Los Angeles vs. smaller markets).
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