Radio has spent the better part of the last 20 years trying to prove it is still young. Maybe that is the wrong fight.
There are markets all over America where the population is getting older, where a large percentage of the money is controlled by people over 50, and where radio remains a powerful part of the daily routine. Yet somehow, the industry still acts embarrassed by those listeners.
We chase 25-54. We worry about 18-34. We sit in meetings talking about how to make radio relevant to younger audiences, while sometimes ignoring the people who are actually using the product.
Stop Apologizing for the Audience You Have
I am not suggesting radio should give up on young people. Quite the opposite — the industry desperately needs younger talent, new ideas, and a pipeline for the future. But there is a big difference between building for the future and pretending the present does not exist.
Some markets are older. That is reality. And in those cities, radio needs to stop acting like a strong audience over 50 is some kind of failure. If your listeners own homes, buy cars, travel, attend concerts, and spend money in the community, that audience has value.
Now, there is an obvious business reality here. Buyers are still heavily attracted to the 25-54 demographic. That has been the currency for a long time, and radio is not going to wake up tomorrow and convince the advertising world to throw it out. But as America gets older and purchasing power moves with it, the definition of a valuable consumer may have to evolve. Does 35-64 become a more important buying category? Radio should be part of that conversation instead of waiting for somebody else to define it.
Market Dominance Is Still the Goal
For stations, the more immediate question is simple: Are you relevant? Not, are you cool in New York? Are you important in the city where you broadcast?
I have lived and worked in enough markets to know the difference between a station that has ratings and a station that owns a city. You can feel it. The personalities are known. The station is at the major events. The audience trusts the brand. When something happens in town, people turn to it.
That is market dominance. And it should not suddenly become less valuable because the people listening are 58 instead of 38. In some older markets, radio may actually have an advantage because the relationship is already there.
Local Relevance Remains Radio’s Best Weapon
The problem is, too many stations take that relationship for granted. Serving an older audience does not mean dusting off the same 300 songs, putting the station on autopilot, and assuming listeners will stay forever. They won’t. Older listeners still want personality, information, humor, and connection. They still want someone on the radio who understands where they live.
Spotify can play the song. A national podcast can be entertaining. But none of them are built to own your town. They are not going to show up at the local charity event, explain why traffic is backed up, or talk about the restaurant everybody suddenly has an opinion about. Local relevance is still radio’s best weapon. The industry just needs to use it.
We also need to stop thinking innovation only means chasing teenagers on TikTok. A classic hits station can have a strong social presence. A talk station can build podcasts and video around personalities the audience already trusts. None of that requires pretending your core listener is 27.
Know Your Audience — And Own It
Radio has allowed itself to be put on the defensive for too long. We apologize for our audience being older. We apologize for being local. We apologize for not being the hot new thing. Why? There are stations across America with powerful brands, loyal listeners, and deep community relationships. That has value. If you have a dominant position in an older market, stop apologizing for it. Serve those listeners better. Show up. Sell the value of the audience. And dominate the market you actually have.
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David Hill serves as a Music Radio Editor, Columnist and Features writer for Barrett Media. A radio lifer with more than 30 years behind the mic, in the control room, and in the program director’s chair, David’s career spans influential stops at brands such as WIYY 98 Rock, WBAL-AM, and 99X. He has worked across multiple formats and ownership groups, including iHeartMedia and Cumulus Media, developing talent, breaking music, and navigating every major industry shift from diary to PPM and terrestrial dominance to streaming disruption. When he’s not writing or analyzing the industry, Dave runs The Tune Farm, a marketing firm built to help artists and brands grow audience the same way great radio always has—by creating connection, not just impressions. He can be reached at David@BarrettMedia.com.