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Radio Resources

• Commonly used terms
• Radio facts and figures
• Guide to radio station formats
• Number of stations by format
• Number of radio stations by state
• Top 100 radio markets
• Events in 2010
• Tips for spokespeople

Radio Facts and Figures

• Radio reaches 92% of all U.S. consumers every week
• Consumers aged 12+ spend an average of 19 hours per week with radio
• Over the last five years, radio has retained 90% of its time spent listening
• Radio reaches more than 236 million persons aged 12 and older over the course of a typical week
• Radio has a higher penetration than television, magazines, newspapers or the Internet
• Persons 18+ radio listening by location include:
  • 73.1% in car
  • 30.0% at home
  • 17.2% at work
• News, News-Talk and Talk collectively are now the #1 most listened to formats based on total number of listeners in the U.S.
• An estimated 53 million consumers tune in to news and talk stations each week
• More than 14,000 radio stations registered with the FCC in the United States

  Compiled from 2010 Arbitron data, Arbitron’s “Why Radio” and “Radio Today” and the National Association of Broadcasters

Radio Listenership Figures and Trends

According Radio Advertising Bureau figures, radio ad revenue has been trending downward since 2008.  While revenues may have suffered during the economic downturn, listening to the radio continues to be part of Americans' daily life.  In fact, according to Arbitron, the big picture for radio overall is its remarkable, enduring reach. 

• Despite availability of numerous media alternatives, radio’s weekly reach has declined only modestly in the past several years, from 94.9% in Spring 2001, when the iPod was first introduced, to 91% in Fall 2008
• Consumers aged 12+ spend an average of 19 hours per week with radio
• Radio reaches 90% of Millennials aged 12-24 years old each week

Information compiled in July 2010

Effectiveness of Radio

• Mobile medium
• Captive audience
• Highly Targetable
• Great source of news information for listeners

Radio Information and Organizations

• National Association of Broadcasters, visit www.nab.org
• Arbitron, visit www.arbitron.com
• Radio-Television News Directors Association, visit www.rtndf.org
• Radio Heard Here, visit www.radioheardhere.com
• Radio-Info, visit www.radio-info.com