One Year Later: Nielsen's 3-Minute Qualifier

Nielsen's shift to the 3-minute qualifier (3MQ) in PPM radio measurement delivered significant audience gains in 2025, revealing larger audiences, reviving undervalued dayparts, and boosting inventory value for sellers and advertisers.

In a full-year analysis presented this week by Nielsen Senior Director Jon Miller during a February 2026 RAB webinar, average quarter-hour (AQH) audience rose 14% in 2025 compared to 2024 across PPM markets. Gains were consistent across demographics, ranging from 13% to 15% by age and ethnicity groups.

Daily cume increased about 7% at the station level, while time spent listening grew, and zero-quarter-hour instances declined as more short listening events received credit.

The change—reducing the quarter-hour listening requirement from five minutes to three—better captured modern listening habits, especially shorter sessions common among younger users and competitors' platforms. "It modernized the way we credit radio listening and PPM," Miller said, adding benefits like more ad impressions, higher average audiences, greater daily cume for stability, and expanded advertiser choices across dayparts and formats.

Afternoon drive posted the largest gain in the key 25-54 demographic at 15%, but weekends showed notable increases as radio's away-from-home strength emerged, helping revive a traditionally undervalued daypart.

Format highlights included:

• Adult Contemporary, Hot AC, CHR, and Classic Hits leading in daily audience and reach.
• Spanish-language (Mexican Regional, Spanish Contemporary), Sports, and News formats topping time spent listening.
• Contemporary Christian as the fastest-growing format in 25-54 PPM markets, with shares up over 30% in three years.
• Alternative showing resurgence after declines, with double-digit gains in 25-54.The holiday period (year-end book) also grew 14% year-over-year.

Looking ahead, Miller cautioned that 2026 growth would likely moderate to historical norms without major events, as the 3MQ impact is now baseline rather than incremental.

Nielsen also updated its mSurvey initiative for diary markets in 2026. The mobile app will let respondents log listening in real time, choose digital incentives, and get immediate rewards instead of mailed payments. It targets younger households first to boost participation, with final production readiness analysis underway and announcements expected soon.