Radio advertising revenues may be flat or even declining so far this year, but a lack of audience doesn’t seem to be the culprit. According to a recent report from Arbitron, radio now reaches 242.2 million listeners aged 12 and older on an average weekly basis, an increase of more than half-a-million listeners from the same period last year. In fact, the data released by Arbitron shows that radio’s 12+ weekly audience has increased each year since 2009.
Currently, that 242.2 million figure equates to 92% of individuals aged 12 and up, per the researchers. That reach is remarkably consistent across ethnicities: 94% of Hispanics aged 12 and up listen to radio during the average week, as do 92% of Black non-Hispanics of that age.
Radio appears to be of growing appeal to young Hispanics: of the 468,000 additional weekly listeners between the September 2012 and September 2013 RADAR reports, 265,000 (about 57%) were in the 12-17 age bracket.
Radio also continues to be popular among Black teens, with a weekly reach of almost 90% of the demographic.
Finally, consumption remains steady among radio’s audience, who spend roughly 2 hours and 35 minutes per day listening to the medium.
About the Data: The sample size for the RADAR September 2013 is 395,897 persons aged 12 and older. This sample is designed to provide stability for key demographic estimates, dayparts, and Market-by-Market Analysis reports, which report all individual DMAs®.
The RADAR September 2013 Report includes data from all 48 Arbitron PPM® markets. The survey period for RADAR 118 covers June 21, 2012 to June 19, 2013.