More Americans are listening to audio, including radio and podcasts, on mobile devices than on traditional radio receivers for the first time ever. According to Edison Media Research’s Share of Ear, consumption of audio on a mobile device passed radio receiver consumption – 33.3% to 33.1%.
When the Share of Ear studies began in 2014, around half (49%) of all audio content was consumed on a traditional radio receiver, compared to 18% who consumed audio on a mobile phone.
Over the years, the research firm found steady growth for mobile devices as time spent with radio receivers declined. As late as Q4 2021, traditional radio receivers still had a slight edge with 33% of all audio being consumed via radio receivers and 32% on a mobile phone.
Worth noting is that the data only shows the device that audio is being consumed on. It does not differentiate what type of audio is being listened to. For instance, broadcast radio content can be consumed via traditional receivers, smart speakers, station apps (on a mobile device), and even smart TVs.
“Mobile devices are multi-media devices, providing content from many sources,” Edison Research writes in its Weekly Insights newsletter. “Radio receivers with their single-use functionality and near-impossibility to find outside of cars, just have not been able to compete.”
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