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Digital Audio / Satellite Radio

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AM/FM radio was the original portable electronic medium as technology migrated out of homes and into cars and onto transistor radios through the mid-20th century. Now online audio services and satellite radio have stolen some of traditional radio's mobility thunder with delivery on multiple devices and capacity for each user to customize content or to receive unique content based on algorithms.

Although it's all sound, consumers and the respective industry segments differentiate among traditional AM/FM radio, digital audio/Internet radio services, and satellite radio services. The newer audio options have established a place in the media spectrum relatively quickly, appealing to younger consumers, early adapters, upscale adults – and advertisers, who are attracted to the expanded options afforded by satellite and digital/online audio marketing.

  • Pureplay radio services are webcasters that transmit only on the Internet; they don't transmit simulcasts of AM/FM radio broadcasts. These may not be interactive ("on demand") based on a ruling on royalty payments. (Arista)
  • Online radio's monthly audience (pureplay/AM/FM streamed combined) is estimated at 214 million, representing 75% penetration of the U.S. 12+ population.
    • 89% of America's 12-34-year-olds listen online monthly
    • 85% of 35-54's are online listeners
    • The 55+ audience is slower to adopt, with just 53% penetration

(Source: The Infinite Dial 2023 - Edison Research/Wondery/ART19)

  • 62% of consumers use an ad-supported music streaming service.

(Source: Digital media trends, 15th edition, Deloitte 2021)

  • 69% of share of ad-supported audio time spent among person 18+ was spent on AM/FM radio.

(Source: Source: Edison Research, "Share of Ear," Q3 2022 - Q2 2023)

  • 78% of respondents reported that they are likely to listen to streaming audio and podcasts when they are outside during the summer.

(Source: Source: Veritonic, Summer Audio Listening Trends, April 2023)

  • 44% of Americans age 13+ spent time listening to AM/FM radio.

(Source: Source: Edison Research, Share of Ear, 2023)

Percentage (%) of share of ad-supported audio time spent by age and demographic:

  • Persons 25-54: 62%
  • Women 25-54: 63%
  • Men 25-54: 62%

(Source: Edison Research, "Share of Ear", Q3 2022 - Q2 2023)

Digital audio usage by device in the U.S.:

  • Smartphones: 75%
  • Smart TV: 37%
  • Laptop: 34%
  • Tablet: 29%
  • Smart speakers: 23%
  • Desktop PC: 21%
  • Streaming Device: 20%
  • Gaming Console: 18%
  • Music Center: 11%
  • Other: 3%

(Source: Statista, June 2023)

11% of Americans age 13+ listen to AM/FM radio streams at home:

(Source: Edison Research, Share of Ear, 2023)

U.S. Monthly Radio Reach (Hispanics by age group):

  • Hispanics 18-34 - 91%
  • Hispanics 35-49 - 97%
  • Hispanics 50+ - 97%

(Source: Nielsen NPOWER, Nielsen RADAR, Nielsen Total Media Fusion - Q1 2023)

Share of daily time spent listening to all audio services among U.S. population, Hispanic Adults 18+:

  • Radio - 30%
  • Streaming audio - 21%
  • YouTube - 20%
  • Podcasts - 12%
  • Owned music - 8%
  • Other - 5%
  • Satellite Radio - 4%

(Source: Edison Research, "Share of Ear", Q2 2023; Hispanic Adults 18+)

Percentage (%) of monthly reach among all audio sources (Hispanic Adults 18+):

  • Radio - 94%
  • YouTube Music - 44%
  • Spotify - 31%
  • Pandora - 23%
  • Amazon Music - 15%
  • Apple Music - 15%
  • Satellite Radio - 11%

(Source: Nielsen RADAR, Nielsen Scarborough - Q1 2023)

Percentage (%) of monthly reach among ad-supported radio (Hispanic Adults 18+):

  • Radio - 94%
  • YouTube Music - 40%
  • Spotify - 18%
  • Pandora - 21%
  • Amazon Music - 12%

(Source: Nielsen RADAR, Nielsen Scarborough - Q1 2023)

Preferred audio sources during road trips:

  • Streaming Audio - 73%
  • Podcasts - 63%
  • AM/FM Radio - 58%
  • Other audio - 8%

(Source: Veritonic, Summer Audio Listening Trends, April 2023)

Preferred audio sources used when bored:

  • Podcasts - 66%
  • Streaming audio - 58%
  • AM/FM Radio - 23%

(Source: Veritonic, Summer Audio Listening Trends, April 2023)

Preferred audio sources used while waiting in line at the airport or waiting for an appointment:

  • Podcasts - 51%
  • AM/FM Radio - 21%
  • Other Audio - 13%

(Source: Veritonic, Summer Audio Listening Trends, April 2023)

Preferred audio sources used when trying to relax:

  • Podcasts - 57%
  • AM/FM - 31%
  • Other Audio - 6%

(Source: Veritonic, Summer Audio Listening Trends, April 2023)

Smart Speakers / Voice
  • 35% of Americans 18+ own a smart speaker as of June 2022.

(Source: The Smart Audio Report 2022 - Edison Research)

  • 78% of U.S. adults own any Amazon speaker while 41% own any Google speaker.
  • 47% of U.S. adults have one smart speaker, 24% have two and 29% have three or more smart speakers.
  • When compared to the first month of smart speaker ownership, Adults 18+ used their smart speakers as follows:
    • More often: 43%
    • About the same: 40%
    • Less often: 17%
  • How smart speaker owners listen to audio most often:
    • Smartphone or tablet: 34%
    • AM/FM radio: 19%
    • Smart speaker: 20%
    • Computer or laptop: 11%
    • Other: 16%

(Source: The Smart Audio Report, Spring 2022)

  • % of people who listen to audio on smart speakers more often by age:
    • 18-24: 4%
    • 25-34: 17%
    • 35-44: 18%
    • 45-54: 28%
    • 55-64: 16%
    • 65+: 21%

(Source: The Smart Audio Report, Spring 2022)

  • Voice assistants are helpful when interacting with smart speakers among adults
    • 34% say they use Alexa
    • 27% say they use Google Assistant
    • 31% say they use Siri

(Source: Open Voice Network; Vixen Labs; June 2022)

  • % of people who are making purchases using voice assistance by age:
    • 18-24: 50%
    • 25-34: 67%
    • 35-44: 63%
    • 45-54: 63%
    • 55-64: 41%
    • 65+: 38%

(Source: Open Voice Network; Vixen Labs; June 2022)

  • 66% of smart speaker owners listen to the news on their smart speakers.

(Source: The Smart Audio Report, Spring 2022)

  • 54% of Households that own a smart speaker obtain weather updates on their smart speakers.

(Source: 2023 MRI-Simmons Fall Doublebase)

  • Number of smart speakers in household:
    • One: 43%
    • Two: 20%
    • Three or more: 38%

(Source: The Infinite Dial 2023 - Edison Research/Wondery/ART19)

  • Share of ad-supported audio time spent on the smart speaker, among Persons 18+:
    • AM/FM Radio - 51%
    • Podcasts - 32%
    • Ad-supported Pandora - 10%
    • Ad-supported Spotify - 4%
    • Ad-supported SiriusXM - 3%

(Source: Edison Research, "Share of Ear," Q3 2022 - Q2 2023, Persons 18+)

  • Top 10 Smart Speaker ownership by brand in the U.S. as of June 2023:
    • Amazon Echo - 65%
    • Google Home - 26%
    • Apple Homepod - 21%
    • Bose - 17%
    • Google Nest - 17%
    • Sony - 11%
    • JBL- 9%
    • Eufy Gene- 8%
    • Fabriq- 7%
    • Harmon Kardon- 6%

(Source: Statista Consumer Insights, 2023)

  • Smart speaker frequency of use in the U.S. in 2023:
    • Daily - 50%
    • Monthly - 26%
    • Never/Rarely - 24%

(Source: Enterprise Apps Today, 2023)

Audio Podcasting

  • A podcast is an audio program formatted to be played on the iPod and made available for free or for purchase over the Internet. The name derives from the combination of broadcast and iPod.
  • Podcasts are shows similar to a radio show that is produced by professionals or amateurs and posted to the Internet for download and listening or viewing.

(Source: About.com)

  • 237 million P12+ are familiar with audio podcasts.
  • In 2023 - 64% of persons 12+ had ever listened to an audio podcast, an all-time high – increasing from 44% in 2018, 40% in 2017 and 36% in 2016

(Source: The Infinite Dial 2023 - Edison Research/Wondery/ART19)

  • 22% of US adults with an annual income of $200,000+ spend at lease 5 hours per week with online audio (podcasts/online radio).

(Source: Forrester, Weigh The Pros And Cons Of 11 Emerging Marketing Channels, 2020)

  • Approximately 120 million (42%) of Americans reported listening to a podcast in the past month in 2022 – double the amount from 21% in 2016
    • 46% of men listened to a podcast in the last month while 36% of listeners were women.
    • 55% of America's 12-34-year olds listened to podcasts in the last month
    • 51% of adults 35-54 listened to podcasts last month while only 21% of adults 55+ listened

(Source: The Infinite Dial 2023 - Edison Research/Wondery/ART19)

  • 89 million P12+ had listened to a podcast in the past week.
  • In 2023 - 31% of persons 12+ had listened to a podcast in the last week – nearly triple the amount in 2015 (10%).

(Source: The Infinite Dial 2023 - Edison Research/Wondery/ART19)

  • Podcast listeners listen to multiple podcast episodes each week - an average of 9 per week
    • Listen to 1 podcast per week - 11%
    • Listen to 2 podcasts weekly – 14%
    • Listen to 3 podcasts weekly – 16%
    • Listen to 4-5 podcasts weekly – 16%
    • Listen to 6-10 podcasts weekly – 24%
    • Listen to 11 or more podcasts weekly – 19%

(Source: The Infinite Dial 2023 - Edison Research/Wondery/ART19)

  • 45% of people who've listened to Apple Music & Spotify in the last 30 days have also listened to a podcast in the last 30 days.

(Source: 2023 MRI-Simmons Fall Doublebase)

Satellite Radio

  • Satellite radio arrived on the American scene with the September 2001 debut of XM Satellite Radio, followed by Sirius Satellite Radio in July 2002. The two competitors merged in July 2008 after it became apparent the sector couldn't support two distinct entitites – now known as SiriusXM Radio.
  • Satellite radio services broadcast from satellites, with programming delivered primarily to vehicles or other dedicated devices. Programming is available only to those who subscribe to the service.
  • Satellite radio subscriber categories:
    • Self-Pay – individuals pay their own monthly fee
    • Promotional – Depending on how initial deal with an auto partner is structured, promotional subscriptions may or may or may not be "paid" by the manufacturer or a third party
  • Satellite service claimed 34 million total subscribers as of December 2023. 

(Source: SiriusXM Radio, Q4 2023)

  • 41% of Households that are subscribers to SiriusXM Radio only listen to the radio at home during the week.

(Source: 2023 MRI-Simmons Fall Doublebase)

   Be sure to read this article: Time With Radio is Time Well Spent.    In Spanish: El Tiempo con la Radio es tiempo bien invertido.