It’s true, streaming services are surging. Today, owning a smart device is a passport for a constant free and paid content. However, research has radio thriving in full force.

In 2016, a Nielsen study revealed the national radio audience to be 91% of the American population. At 245 million people, that number was a record high for two years in a row. In 2019, a second Nielsen study compared the amount of time audiences spent each week with TV-connected devices versus radio. It wasn’t even close. According to the study, average time spent with radio more than doubled the time people spent watching media, at approximately 12 hours a week.

Access and Simplicity

Hugh McIntyre of Forbes.com has noted two reasons for the staying power of radio. He said, ” One of the reasons that radio is still so prevalent in our society is because it is readily available.” Most people have radios in their homes and in their cars. Drive time remains a hot time for radio.

McIntyre also mentioned the simplicity of operating a radio. Using a radio doesn’t require much study, and there are no subscriptions needed. People may not have the power to choose an exact song, but they can choose the genre of the station.

A note on Talk Radio

Overall, the news/talk category remains the most popular on radio. The Nielsen study shows this genre keeping the top slot for the last 3 years. It is predicted that with the 2020 election, the demand for news/talk will stay strong.