Nielsen Report: Radio Dominates Daytime Reach

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, September 24, 2015

According to Nielsen's recently released Q2 2015 Total Audience Report, consumers spend the most time with radio, weekdays from 6am-7pm. The report focused on the hourly share of media time spent among radio, television, TV connected devices, PCs, smartphones and tablets. Cumulus Media CMO Pierre Bouvard described in a blog post how Nielsen's new report contains four key insights for marketers and their agencies.

1. When stores are open, radio is on: radio dominates daytime shopping hours.
Among persons 18-49 and 25-54, radio is number one in share and beats all other media in time spent. Weekdays from 6am-7pm, radio's 36% average share is number one. From sunrise to sunset, radio's hourly average share is 36% among 18- to 49-year-olds and 25- to 54-year-olds.

2. Radio dominates daytime reach.
During the day, radio reaches nearly 90% of 18-49 and 25- to 54-year-olds from 6am-7pm.

3. More of radio's daytime audience is found in the key buying and selling demographics.
Radio's audience is nestled right in key buying demos and skews younger than television. While 62% of TV's daytime share comes from those 50 and older, over 50% of radio's share is found among adults 18-49 and 25-54. Media Dynamics, a media analysis firm, indicates the median age of daytime TV programming is quite old: Talk Shows (60), Syndicated Talk shows (58), Games Shows (65), Court Shows (60).

4. Smartphones, tablets, and PCs have good daytime reach, but weak share of media time spent. Conversely, radio reaches the masses then holds their attention.
While two-thirds of 18+ Americans use smartphones during the day, their share of media time spent is only 13%. Radio outreaches the smartphone 86% to 67% during the day. Radio's daytime share far exceeds smartphones(32% to 13%). Smartphones have decent daytime reach but low time spent resulting in low share.

"Radio is number one in reach and share during the day, making it the best way to reach consumers during key shopping hours. Massive audience shares from sun up to sun down. A younger, employed audience. Conversion of reach to share that towers above other digital devices. Radio rules the day," wrote Bouvard.