How we listen is changing rapidly, but radio continues to have the MIDAS touch
Opinion
Mediatel Connected’s head of research Anne Tucker digs a little deeper into RAJAR’s most recent radio listening analysis, and finds it’s clear we’re still a nation of radio lovers.
With so many audio options available now, we can be continually plugged into a wave of sound. And judging by the figures, that’s exactly what we’re doing, and radio is still a favoured choice.
Accessing radio has never been easier, with options of smart speakers, smart TVs and apps making radio instantly available wherever you are.
According to the latest MIDAS research from spring 2023, listening to live radio online via the internet or mobile apps has increased from 47% of respondents pre-pandemic to nearly 61% claiming to listen this way at least weekly.
As can be seen in the above chart, this method of listening to radio has become much more popular for both 35-54s and 55+ age groups since the pandemic, perhaps a reflection of working from home.
Technology options are now at our fingertips or at our voice command. Nearly 69% of MIDAS respondents claim to use a radio app on their phone, tablet or digital music and 50% claim to have access to a smart speaker.
Meanwhile, 30% of respondents claim to listen to radio via their smart TV on at least a weekly basis, with 35-54s and 55+ more likely to use this technology than their younger counterparts.
With all these technological options for consuming audio related content, it’s great to see that radio is still gaining so many ears.
As you’d expect, other audio options are growing in popularity, such as on demand music and podcast services like Spotify, and MIDAS provides some great insights into these.
For on-demand music services, the pandemic hasn’t had quite the same impact on increases in weekly listening, with slight increments across the board; nearly 57% of respondents now claim to listen at least weekly to on demand music services. However, there have been some interesting differences between the age groups, which you will find in the Mediatel Connected Consumer Surveys app.
Meanwhile, the post-pandemic podcasts success story has continued. MIDAS measures podcasts and downloads listening together, with numbers increasing since the pandemic for all age groups. Overall, nearly 39% of respondents claim to listen to podcasts and downloads at least weekly, though these numbers change across the demographics. Further information can also be found within the Consumer Surveys app.
Anne Tucker is head of research at Mediatel Connected, under Adwanted Group, which publishes The Media Leader.
The award-winning Consumer Surveys app within Mediatel Connected carries industry leading research covering all media, from RAJAR, Barb, Ofcom, TouchPoints and exclusive surveys Video & Voice from YouGov, and Adwanted UK’s exclusive Connected Screens tracker survey. To find out more about the Mediatel Connected data product, please get in contact at [email protected].