We talk a lot about the changing consumption patterns for our listeners, but according to Edison research, radio is still the most popular way to consume radio. The latest “Share of Ear” study asked respondents how they listen to their favorite radio stations. The terrestrial signal won by a large margin.
Among people 13 and older, 86% of them are still consuming radio via the over-the-air signal. When it comes to adults between 18 and 49, that number drops slightly to 80%. That is clearly still an overwhelming favorite.
More overall listening is done via streaming, with the phone being the most popular option. When it comes to listening to radio content though, only 8% of people 13 and up said it was their top choice.
Computers and smart speakers represented the next two most popular means of listening to the radio. Internet-connected smart televisions showed up at number four. Those devices are becoming an increasingly more popular means of consuming radio content.
“Late last year we reported that for total audio listening, the phone surpassed the radio set for the first time,” a statement from Edison reads. “While it is always risky to predict the future, it seems reasonably safe to bet that the phone will be the primary battle zone for consumers’ time spent listening going forward. As of today, only a relatively small portion of time spent listening to audio on the smartphone goes to ‘radio.’ As radio charts a future that is less dependent on the single-function ‘radio set,’ success on the phone, as well as other internet-enabled devices, is imperative.”
