Last week, Barrett Media published results from Jacobs Media’s TechSurvey 2026. The story spread quickly. The Drudge Report picked it up. So did Citizen Free Press and Michael Smerconish’s newsletter. Some in the radio industry weren’t thrilled about the attention.
I understand the reaction. I just don’t share it.
Let me be clear, Barrett Media exists to celebrate, educate, and challenge the media industry. We feature accomplished broadcasters who write fairly, honestly, and respectfully. Sometimes the coverage is favorable. Other times it isn’t. I put my name on everything I write. Agree, disagree, or ignore it — that’s your call.
Some felt our headline for the story wasn’t positive enough. More were troubled by the way other websites framed radio negatively. We went through this last year too. A quote from our feature on Dan Orlovsky of ESPN was used by other websites differently than what we published. We cannot control how other outlets use our work. And we won’t stop reporting facts because they might amplify the information differently. That’s journalism. Suppressing it would be public relations.
Now, About That Data
For the first time in TechSurvey’s history, broadcast listening fell to 54% of total time spent with a listener’s favorite station. Digital platforms now account for 44%. That’s a 10-point gap, which is down from 15 points just one year ago.
Before anyone dismisses this as noise, remember who these respondents are. They represent radio’s most loyal, most engaged P1 listeners. These are not casual fans. Even they are moving toward digital at a meaningful rate.
The longer view is harder to ignore. In 2013, the gap between broadcast and digital was 71 points. Today it sits at 10. That is not a blip. That is a decade-long trend.
There are bright spots in the data. Personalities held their seven-year lead over music as the top programming driver, with 60% of respondents citing hosts and shows as a main reason they listen. But those strengths only describe what radio does well for the audience it already has. The harder question is what the industry is doing to retain the audience it keeps losing.
The average TechSurvey respondent is now 58.4 years old. Listeners 65 and older account for roughly one-third of all respondents. Meanwhile, Gen Z is now slightly ahead on digital. Sports radio is the only format where digital has lapped broadcast — 56% to 42%. Additionally, AM/FM’s share of in-car listening has dropped to 50%, down from 62% in 2018. More dashboard options mean more competition for every minute.
Handling The Truth
Fred Jacobs has spent decades delivering truth to help this industry. He is not the enemy. Nor is his data. He said it plainly: “If you’ve been a ‘digital denier’… this compelling chart should motivate you to devise a different strategy — because you are now swimming upstream.” The industry that argues with that sentence instead of acting on it is the one that should worry people.
Radio as an industry won’t earn the trust of the next generation of listeners by telling them everything is fine when the people who track their most devoted fans discover different truths. It’s even worse once the facts are learned. Rather than absorbing the information and addressing the issue at hand, many take aim at the messenger. If the industry wants public perception to be better, leaders need to get serious about changing it. It’s a real problem that needs attention.
We attended the TechSurvey webinar and wrote the story because it matters. Professionals deserve accurate information. That’s how solutions get created.
The good news is that radio’s digital story is real. When Jacobs Media does the 2027 TechSurvey, I’d expect digital to match or pass over-the-air consumption. Outside publications glossed over that part. That’s likely because promoting radio’s demise attracts more eyeballs. This is the industry’s marketing opportunity.
Rather than worrying about how the facts are framed elsewhere, look closer at the data. Better yet, invest time and resources in reshaping public perception. When you do, we’ll be here to write that story too.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
Jason Barrett is the Founder and CEO of Barrett Media. The company launched in September 2015 and has provided consulting services to America’s top audio and video brands, while simultaneously covering the media industry at BarrettMedia.com, becoming a daily destination for media professionals. Prior to Barrett Media, Jason built and programmed 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He was also the first sports programmer for SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, which later became 97.5 The Fanatic. Barrett also led 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY, and worked on-air and behind the scenes at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years at ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT producing ‘The Dan Patrick Show’ and ‘GameNight’. JB can be reached on Twitter @SportsRadioPD or by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
