The transistor radio may be long gone from most American homes, but new technology continues to give broadcasters a way to reach listeners. While much of radio’s focus has been on the smart speaker, Edison Research has released new data that shows smart TVs and other internet-connected TV devices are playing a larger role than ever when it comes to people listening to radio, podcasts, and other audio content.
The latest Share of Ear report from Edison says 6.9% of audio listening time among Americans aged 13 and older went to TV devices, such as Roku, or gaming consoles during the third quarter. That is up 30% from a year ago. And Edison says listening to audio on TV has more than tripled since 2016.
“The rate of increase has taken off in the past few years, almost doubling since 2020,” Edison says. “With these audio devices being centrally located in many homes, and with people spending more time at home in the last several years, it will not be surprising if these numbers continue to rise.”
Even with growing options like TV, Edison reported at mid-year that the vast majority of radio listening still occurs via a traditional radio receiver. It said in May that 86% of radio listening time among those aged 13+ takes place using a radio receiver, with 14% occurring on other devices.
But among that other 14% it is mobile phones, not TVs that have the biggest share. Edison said that is where it thinks the “primary battle zone” will be for consumers’ time spent listening going forward. Edison said that mobile phones account for eight percent of all radio listening, followed by computers (3%), smart speakers (2%), and TVs (1%).