MP3 Usage Reduces Teen Radio Listenership by Almost Half
A recent study by Bridge Ratings & Research found just eight percent of radio listeners who have owned an MP3 player for more than six months listen to radio less. While those who have recently bought an MP3 player do, certainly listen to less radio as they get comfortable with their new music source, the study suggest MP3 is not a radio killer. However, for the 12-18 demo, it may be. After owning an MP3 player for six months, 45 percent 12-18 year olds listen to radio less.
Comments
OK, but by how much less do they listen? If 45% of people in that demographic listen to half as much radio as before, radio listenership in that demo is down 25% (actually, 22 1/2%), not half as your headline states.
The other question that needs to be asked is, what are they listening to less of? Since most radio runs on advertising revenue, it's important to know if people in that demo are actually hearing fewer ads, and if so, at what times during the day?
Pausing live radio is actually easier than pausing tv. Radio commercials are gone. The piece to skip commercials plugs right into the radio wires...either car or home. Takes 30 seconds to install.
Radios ads....your medium is shrinking. Hint as to how it works....increased static volume, frequency, and pacing vs. "notes". A $2 computer chip will take care of that.
Gotta go...the radios back on.
I think it's more accurate to say that the current state of radio itself is what is cutting youth listenership. MP3 is merely the most convenient alternative available.