Nielsen: On The Road to Recovery with AM/FM Radio

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, November 2, 2020 | 1:56pm CT

Nielsen

With the onset of Fall, changes in working and commuting patterns-along with a return to school-are sparking growth in radio listening. Tracking the past eight months of Nielsen PPM data in the top 50 radio markets, the latest October survey (covering 9-10 through 10-7) reveals that radio's weekly reach has recovered to within three points of March levels. This continues the upward trend which began during the re-opening period in June and July and follows several months of summertime stability.

As commuting increases, drive time recovery continues. At the beginning of the pandemic, radio use during traditional commute times initially declined, but it has grown each month since then, with significant recovery in October. Morning drive in particular increased by eleven percent from September to October, while weekends have now moved ahead of March levels.

Nielsen's consumer lifestyle surveys found that 53% of consumers as of October are 'ready to go.' They feel that life is becoming more normal and are more likely to resume usual activities and shopping patterns as restrictions ease.

The 'ready to go' cohort has an attractive qualitative profile-they're more likely to be ages 25-to-54, have children, earn over $100,000 annually, and work outside the home. Turns out they are heavy radio listeners, too; because they spend more time away from home they consume more radio than those who stay put.

More employed Americans are returning to work outside the home, spending increasing amounts of time in their vehicles, and getting back into the schooling routine. The pandemic significantly altered the work-life balance for millions of consumers this spring. According to Nielsen's series of consumer lifestyle studies, fielded in April, May, June and October, behavior is beginning to shift. Specifically, time in the car is increasing, where radio is the top source of audio