Despite Digital Disruption, Radio Remains Essential

Harker Bos Group’s recent studies, particularly from 2024 and this year, affirm radio’s status as a high-trust, high-impact medium. Its ability to build emotional connections, drive full-funnel marketing, and deliver strong ROI keeps it relevant, especially for local and niche audiences

A November 2024 Harker Bos Group article, "Brand Attribution for Radio: Finding the Truth in the Static," emphasizes radio’s unique ability to foster emotional connections and trust with listeners. Unlike digital metrics that prioritize clicks, radio’s strength lies in its authentic engagement, with trusted hosts and local content creating a bond that influences purchasing decisions. The study notes that 59% of Hispanic listeners, for example, trust local station hosts, leading to high conversion rates for endorsed products.

In February 2025, Harker Bos released a guide on radio’s "full-funnel impact," referencing their State of Media 2024 report. It found that 80% of Americans listen to AM/FM radio weekly, making it a top medium for brand exposure. The guide highlights case studies, like a national clothing retailer using radio jingles for brand recall and a local auto dealership driving website traffic through morning show partnerships. Radio’s call-to-action ads, like a restaurant’s lunchtime discount code campaign, also led to measurable sales increases.

Why Radio Remains High-Trust and High-Impact

• Trust: Radio’s live, local, and listener-focused nature makes personalities feel like "trusted friends." This trust transfers to advertisers, as seen in community partnerships like Cox Radio Group’s work with the Boys and Girls Club in Miami.
• Impact: Radio’s broad reach (91% of Americans 18+ listen monthly) and ability to drive both brand awareness and conversions make it a versatile tool. Its low cost and portability further amplify its effectiveness.
• Music remains the heart of radio listening—and it’s not a one-genre-fits-all situation. When we asked listeners what types of music they regularly tune into on the radio, Rock came out on top at 60%, followed closely by Pop (50%), Hip-hop/Rap (41%), and Country (40%). Urban RnB (25%) also captured a solid audience, with smaller but notable shares for Jazz (11%), Classical (18%), Religious/Gospel (20%), and Spanish-language music (6%)
• Over a third of News/Talk fans (37%) say they listen because they enjoy the format, while others value the chance to hear opinions and debate—either from hosts (24%) or callers (24%). There’s no single formula for the ideal News/Talk program structure. Preferences are split, but the most favored setup is a single host who brings on guests and takes calls (31%), followed by multi-host formats, either with aligned viewpoints (24%) or with larger panels (22%).

Challenges: Harker Bos notes measurement issues, as digital-like attribution models often fail to capture radio’s emotional impact. They advocate for research that reflects radio’s authentic strengths rather than chasing potentially flawed metrics.

While Harker Bos and similar studies paint radio as a powerhouse, some data suggests challenges. Their State of Media 2024 whitepaper found radio (38% weekly engagement) lags behind social media (68%) and streaming TV (60%) in frequency of use, indicating competition from digital platforms.