Westwood One Insights: Podcasts Launched The Radio Star

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, March 22, 2021 | 4:57pm CT

Westwood One

Westwood One commissioned Maru/Blue to conduct a national study on March 18 of 1,506 Americans. The study revealed the extent to which Dan Bongino has used his podcast platform, social media presence, best-selling books and TV appearances to build a strong brand among American talk radio listeners. This week's Westwood One blog outlines the key findings:

• When podcast stars like Dan Bongino launch their AM/FM radio shows, they enjoy a massive head start and strong momentum: 64% of frequent News/Talk radio listeners are aware of Dan Bongino. 78% of frequent News/Talk radio listeners who are aware of Dan Bongino rate him as excellent/good.

• Among Rush Limbaugh fans, Dan Bongino enjoys high awareness and strong favorability: 74% of Rush Limbaugh fans are aware of Dan Bongino and rate him with a positive 70% excellent/good approval score.

• An AM/FM radio show generates a new audience that is incremental to the podcast audience: The Maru/Blue study found that the Dan Bongino and Ben Shapiro audiences either listen to the podcast or the AM/FM radio show. Currently about 40% listen only to the podcast; 40% listen only to the Ben Shapiro and Dan Bongino shows on AM/FM radio. About 20% indicate they have listened both to the podcast and the AM/FM radio show in the last month.

• Dan Bongino's upscale and educated profile carries over from the podcast to the AM/FM radio show: Nielsen Scarborough's Podcast Listener Buying Power Study reports that Dan Bongino's audience profile is employed, upscale, and educated. The Maru/Blue study reveals that those listening to Dan Bongino's AM/FM radio program or podcast share a similar profile: upscale, educated, and more likely to be married with children.

• Listeners develop loyal relationships with podcast and AM/FM radio personalities based on humor and trust. AM/FM radio personalities also drive listener action. Almost half (46%) of listeners believe that their favorite personalities or shows are opinion leaders that they can trust.

• Among News/Talk listeners, the appeal and importance of personalities is even greater. 63% of News/Talk listeners say on-air personalities are opinion leaders they trust.