News/Talk radio is still a monster across America. But two things can be true at once. That doesn’t mean there aren’t things that can be improved on and challenges ahead.
After a tough end to the year for many radio groups and stations across America, there are things worth celebrating as we start the New Year. And this week, as reported by Barrett Media from Edison Research, 69% of all time spent listening to news audio content in the United States is with AM/FM radio and its streaming platforms.
By comparison, 61% of sports audio listening takes place on AM/FM radio and streaming from those stations. 32% of all music time spent listening happens with terrestrial radio and streaming platforms from those brands.
Where would you be investing in the industry if you were a station owner or an advertiser?
There’s no question that news audio is getting more fragmented by the day, but AM/FM radio is still strong and holding up better than every other format on the radio dial.
But, one of the problems with media reporters and bloggers who might share this news is that they are unlikely to be regular radio consumers. And it’s the same thing with agency media buyers. They’re more likely to live in the northeast corridor and be mass transit commuters. Now, there are plenty of monster news radio brands from Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York, and Boston. Still, the internet/social media fodder is unlikely to be there for the media reporters who live on X and Instagram. We’re all biased toward and against the things we consume. It’s no different in this case.
That’s where radio needs to make sure it’s activated on all of these platforms to get in front of new and younger audiences and get attention from fellow media members.
But when you get outside of the news media hubs of New York City, Washington D.C., etc., everyone is in their cars to get to and from work. They’re much less likely to be riding trains, subways, and buses, where the podcast listener is more likely to reside.
That makes the news radio format even more powerful in so many cities nationwide.
So the radio industry needs to lead the way and scream this news from the rooftops to everyone who will listen. You’d be considered a massive success story if your industry had a 70% share.
McDonald’s is the largest fast food chain in the world, and based on 2021 numbers, it had a global market share of almost 44%. Toyota is the world’s largest car manufacturer by market share in the vehicle space, with around 10.7% of the global market in 2023.
To repeat, AM/FM radio has 69% of all time spent listening to news audio content. If you want to reach a news audience and you’re not on news radio, you’re doing your client or company a disservice. It’s as simple as that.
Now, it’s not all roses. We know that that number has seen attrition in recent years. Podcasting will keep cutting into that 69% in the years ahead as a more consumer-friendly listen. Social media platforms are becoming news content hubs as well. The AM/FM news audience is having a hard time getting younger.
And the industry, while still very formidable, isn’t growing staff in most places when news radio brands need to be active in more places and on more platforms than ever before to stay relevant and grow in their communities. Resources are stretched thin, despite the marketplace demanding we stay active with a multi-media approach to keep their attention in as many places as possible.
But as we turn the calendar to 2025, there are still massive audiences in local communities and nationwide, and for that, we need to celebrate. But that doesn’t mean resting on our laurels by any stretch. Now, we need to do everything we can to hold our market share or at least make sure news consumers are finding us on podcasts, YouTube, and elsewhere. On to 2025!
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Pete Mundo is a weekly columnist for Barrett Media, and the morning show host and program director for KCMO in Kansas City. Previously, he was a fill-in host nationally on FOX News Radio and CBS Sports Radio, while anchoring for WFAN, WCBS News Radio 880, and Bloomberg Radio. Pete was also the sports and news director for Omni Media Group at K-1O1/Z-92 in Woodward, Oklahoma. He’s also the owner of the Big 12-focused digital media outlet Heartland College Sports. To interact, find him on Twitter @PeteMundo.
