On World Radio Day, a study shows that radio reaches more people than any other audio format, boosts mood, and is the most trusted and reliable medium across markets.
According to the findings of the World Radio Alliance’s and international trade body egta’s report, “Radio: The Sound of Connection, Emotion and Attention,” radio reaches nine out of 10 people weekly and creates a strong emotional connection.
In Ireland, radio has a weekly reach of 90%; in France, 89%; in the Netherlands, 87%; and in the UK, Belgium, and Italy, 86%.
Radio also captures the largest share of daily listening time across platforms, with 68% in the UK and Belgium, 61% in France, and 74% in Ireland.
Additionally, the second main reason listeners tune in to the radio is to feel connected with one in three listeners feeling more connected to their community because of their local radio hosts.
What’s more, 70% of listeners tune in to relax or lift their spirits, cementing radio as an essential factor in emotional well-being.
This translates to brand association, with radio advertising generating 12% higher emotional response than TV.
The report also shows radio uplifts brand trust, with a 72% increase among those who advertise on radio.
Feel-good audio ads also change consumer behaviour and deliver long-lasting brand effects, with campaigns that make people feel more positive driving an 8.2% uplift in the above-average star rating of consumer responses to an ad.
The star rating predicts an ad’s potential to contribute to long-term brand growth and ranges from one to five stars. The higher the star rating, the more brands should invest in and build campaigns around the ad.
The study also found that actively listened-to radio ads achieve 78% brand recall, while background listening during highly distracted moments still delivers 30% recall, demonstrating the medium’s ability to break through.
President of the WRA, Caroline Gianias, said: “Today is World Radio Day, and we celebrate Radio’s extraordinary power to reach across distance and differences to unite and inspire, linking people through news, music, conversation, andcommunity.
“In every language and in every place, radio captures attention, stirs emotion, and creates moments that matter.
“Radio connects us-wherever we are, one listener at a time.”
Radior director at egta, Thierry Mars reiterated this: “In a world where we are confronted with an immeasurable volume of content, attention and connection have become scarce resources.
“Radio combines mass reach with emotional resonance in a medium people trust.
“This unique ability to capture attention, create connection, and generate emotion is what makes radio such a powerful driver of brand impact.”
The WRA is a worldwide grouping of 21 broadcasters’ and sales houses’ trade bodies from 17 markets across four continents.
egta is the international trade body of multiplatform TV and audio businesses, representing more than 180 members in over 40 markets.
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