With a monthly reach of nine in 10 listeners in nearly every key demographic, absolute dominance in the ad-supported audio universe with an unmatched share of time spent listening, and consistent weekday tune-in from morning to afternoon drive, AM/FM radio remains far and away the first audio choice for Black consumers, according to Nielsen's just-released “Audio Today” report.
Whether among teens, 18-34, or 25-54, men or women, AM/FM's monthly reach ranges from 86-95%, with reach of Black adults 18+ at a solid 89%, and teens just ahead of 18-34s with 87% vs. 86%. The highest numbers are for 25-54s, with radio reaching 95% and 94% of men and women respectively.
Compared to other audio options, Nielsen says, “only AM/FM radio can deliver the scale advertisers need, and its impact is even more pronounced when comparing reach among ad-supported options for audio marketing campaigns.” Indeed, whether among 18+, 18-34, or 50+, radio's monthly reach more than triples that of its closest ad-supported audio competitor, YouTube Music. Likewise, as Edison's Share of Ear report shows, radio more than triples ad-supported streaming audio's share of daily time spent listening among Black adults 18+.
Not surprisingly, radio also leads all audio sources in the car, where 75% of Black listenership happens during morning and afternoon drive, moving up to 79% on weekends. For Black adults 18+ and 25-54, radio's share of total time spent with media is highest during weekday mornings and middays, with overall listening peaking in PM drive between 3-5pm.
Urban AC and urban contemporary are the two strongest formats among Black adults 18+, with adult contemporary, rhythmic CHR, and CHR also in the top five. Those top two rise far above the rest of the top 10 based on monthly reach, with urban AC at 11.2 million and urban contemporary's 8.7 million. Urban AC's share is highest among Black women 25-54 (30.8%), while urban contemporary hits a 30.7% share among 18-34s, just ahead of 29.9% for teens.
Podcasts are a growing audio option among Black consumers, with heavier listening (five hours or more weekly) up 29% from a year ago. While there's slightly more listening while commuting (32%, vs. 30% in 2022) and 15% at work, most still takes place at home (49%). Says Nielsen's report, “Around half of all Black podcast consumers listen at home, making podcasting a natural complement to radio in an audio marketing strategy.”
View Nielsen’s “Audio Today 2023: A Focus On Black Consumers” HERE.