"Broadcast Radio Continues To Strongly Dominate Listening"

Pardon me, if I join Katz in bragging a bit this morning:

“The latest findings bear out what we continue to find from all our research – and hear from consumers – that broadcast radio is still by far the overwhelming leader in audio listening,” said Mary Beth Garber, EVP/Radio Analysis and Insights at Katz Radio Group.  “Broadcast radio isn’t losing listeners – in fact just the opposite, which makes it clear that digital listening actually represents incremental listening.  So as digital listening – which is both AM/FM digital listening and personal music collection digital listening – continues to grow, it is an expansion of broadcast radio listening, additive to it rather than a substitute.  Research from Infinite Dial 2012 shows that digital listeners are also heavy broadcast users (3); digital extends the reach and popularity of broadcast radio to new devices and new listening opportunities. We're pleased with digital's growth and how it has added to the broadcast radio experience.”

Garber continued, “A digital-only ‘music collection’ audio service like Pandora only has 4.4% of total audio listening, even if you assume the Triton measurement of when the service is left on is comparable to the measurement of actual listening that Arbitron does.  That said, even though it is still a relatively small percentage of all listening, we remain excited about the role of digital listening in extending radio listening to new devices, further enhancing radio's role as the major mobile entertainment and information service to the consumer.”

In the most recent RADAR findings, the gold standard measurement system for radio, which measure national listening behavior from October 2011 to September 2012, broadcast radio continues to strongly dominate listening – reaching 243 million listeners per week and representing 92.4% of all listening (1).  In comparison, digital listening currently represents only 7.6% of all audio listening (2).

(1) RADAR 115 (Dec 2012, for period Oct 11 - Sep 12
(2) RADAR 115 (for period Oct 11 – Sep 12); Triton Digital Audio Top 20, Oct 11 – Sep 12;
(3) Infinite Dial 2012 

Coincidentally, that news comes this week just as Canada's entire Astral Radio group gets ready for their annual "Have a Heart” Radiothon events in every one of their markets.  This annual 12-hour live broadcast calls upon listeners to help raise much-needed funds to support care for young patients, enable the acquisition of new specialized pediatrics equipment and provide parents with support services.  This year's will run from 6am to 6pm Thursday May 2nd and one hundred percent of the money raised during this nation-wide one-day event will stay in Astral communities to help babies and kids.

Actually, now that I think of it, there is no coincidence.  

Radio everywhere routinely does large and small things for our communities.  

The announcement could have come ANY day, and there would be many things to point to that radio's dedicated public servants are doing somewhere.

"Don't sell the ratings. Sell the reasons you HAVE those ratings,."
   - Mary Beth Garber

AMEN.

Do You Feel Like A Wounded Gorilla?

Mel Karmazin, always the master of hyperbole: "...terrestrial radio, though wounded, they are still the 800 pound gorilla.."

Radio as gorilla works, but wounded? Naw.

For some exciting and fresh pro-radio facts, email Katz's Mary Beth Garber.

(More From Katz): Satellite Radio – A Proper Perspective

• It isn’t commercial free, it has virtually no local content and at $10 to $15 per month or more for a subscription, it certainly isn’t free.
• In the 10 years since its launch it has worked its way up to being owned by… 10.6% of the Adults 18+ in the USA
• If 30% penetration is considered “critical mass” for technology products…it has a very, very long way to go to be considered a mass medium. Today, it is irrelevant in that category.
• It reports 20.5 million “subscribers” (includes unsold autos and cancelled subscriptions for 18 months after they cancel). Only about 85% are “self-pay” (or, real). Only 9.5% of Adults 18+ in USA listened to any satellite radio in the past week and only 1.2% plan to acquire one in the coming year.
  
  

• Radio reaches 93.4% of Adults 18+ in the USA every week.
• Radio connects to listeners locally, on many platforms, and then connects those listeners to advertisers.

- Mary Beth Garber/Katz Radio

Most Steaming Listening Is To Local AM/FM Radio

(Another Katz/Garber goodie Monday...)

The Social Network Called Radio

Click to read:

• Social Media Has Little Impact on Online Retail Purchases [STUDY]
• If social media is no good for ecommerce, is social commerce DoA?

SCBA has lost an executive, Katz has gained one, but radio retains one of our most effective advocates. Mary Beth Garber sent along this chart, with a note:

"I began working as EVP/Radio Analysis and Insights for Katz Radio Group on April 1. My role is quite similar to what is was at the SCBA (and still is until all my SCBA responsibilities are reassigned). Please know that I have even more resources to be able to answer questions regarding radio and all its platforms. If you need support in defending radio or to overcome objections, or questions in general about radio, I can still be of service. I'm located in the Los Angeles office of Katz, 6500 Wilshire."

Last Time I Checked, We Were Not Dead

In today's mail, this cc from the always alert SCBA

To: Dan Neil, Los Angeles Times

In your column of March 24, 2009, you look at the forces causing the rapid demise of major newspapers, including the double-digit losses in circulation and print advertising revenue hitting virtually every newspaper across the country.

And you wonder out loud if new technologies like the Rubicon Project, which focuses on online ad optimization, can be used to save the LA Times.

Overall the article was interesting and factual. That is, until you quoted Mr. Addante, co-founder and CEO of the Rubicon Project, who said --

"I don't want newspapers to die like radio."

By presenting Mr. Allantes' inaccurate statement as fact, you have left the reader with the impression that Radio is dead.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Radio is not only alive, it’s growing.

Today, more people are listening to radio in Los Angeles than ever before. 96% of Los Angeles residents (11.5 million* people 6+) listen to radio every week.

Our online listenership continues to increase every week, with advertising comfortably in place. And no Radio station in Los Angeles has declared bankruptcy or shut down operations because of a lack of interest or usage by the people of Los Angeles.

I've attached a chart (above, to enlarge it click on it) that tracks the 21% drop in readership for the LA Times since 2003 vs the 5.4% increase in listenership to Radio in that same period. I urge you to share it with Mr. Addante. I trust his technology is more accurate than his assessment of Radio.

As for the LA times, I trust that you will take steps to correct the negative impression of Radio fostered by your article.

*source: M-Sun 6A-Mid persons 6+ using radio Arbitron PPM Los Angeles metro Jan 2009

Mary Beth Garber
President
Southern California Broadcasters Assn
www.scba.com

In Los Angeles - Radio Means Business
The #1 Radio Revenue Market in the World
Radio -- Reach in Real-Time. Deliver the message when it matters with Radio.