The nation’s agricultural workers and trade groups have filled headlines recently with their support of keeping AM radio receivers in vehicles. The workforce relies on AG-focused news and information that is broadcast on the radio, as well as vital life-saving alerts during storms and natural emergencies.
It should come as no surprise that agricultural workers are big audio consumers, with half qualifying as heavy listeners of the medium. They are more likely to be heavy users of audio than any other media, including 60% more than the internet and 51% more than television, according to Katz Media Group’s analysis of MRI-Simmons data.
Conversely, close to half of all AG workers fall into the light user category for the internet and TV, which means that nearly half of all AG workers are unlikely to have meaningful exposure to digital or TV ad campaigns. This presents an opportunity for radio to reach this population who are heavy audio consumers and a driving force in the economy. The agricultural industry is responsible for over $576 billion in spending power over the 4.5 million workers in the industry, according to the 2023 Feeding the Economy Report.
AG workers are much more likely than the average American adult to listen to audio at work on weekdays (+89%), and on weekends (+171%). Additionally, this segment of workers favors AM/FM, with 8 in 10 – or 81% – tuning into radio broadcasts ahead of streaming audio, podcasts, and satellite radio. Close to two-thirds listen to streaming audio, which includes AM/FM streams, as well as other audio services, and 53% of AG worker households pay for subscriptions to streaming services.
Much like the general population of listeners, these agricultural workers use radio as a source of information, entertainment, and escape. Additionally, approximately one-third of AG workers say that radio is a good source of learning, and radio ads provide them with useful information on new products and services.
