Radio: A friend indeed

For the 244 million Americans who tune in each week, there’s no question that Radio Matters in their lives. It matters because of the unique and emotional bond that listeners share with their stations – on-air, online, via Facebook, etc. Once again, we see this personal connection confirmed in a recent survey conducted by Mark Kassof & Co.

The strategic research organization polled just over 1,000 P1 radio listeners, asking them to describe the relationship they have with the station they listen to most often. The study asked the respondents to imagine their favorite station as a person, such as a close friend, casual friend, acquaintance, extended family – even a spouse/significant other.

The survey revealed that 63% of P1 listeners consider the station they listen to the most as a friend, and for most of them, a close friend.

Close friend 37%
Casual friend 26%
Acquaintance 9%
Extended family 7%
Neighbor 6%
Spouse/significant other 4%
Co-worker 3%
Stranger 3%
Teacher 2%
Parent 1%
Boss 1%
Child 0%

The study also showed that Rock P1's "friend" their station the most, at 80%. A/C P1's are next at 77%, followed by Gold/Classic P1's, at 72%.

"The fact that most P1's think of the station they listen to most as a friend (when asked to personify it) tells us something important," the study noted. "It says that radio is more than a mere 'appliance,' delivering music and talk. It truly is an integral part of their lives."