Over 82 Million Americans Listen to AM Radio Monthly

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, April 24, 2023 | 11:12am CT

Cumulus Media

Cumulus Media | Westwood One's Audio Active Group has released a new comprehensive analysis of listening data from the Nielsen Fall 2022 Survey, MRI Simmons, Edison Research's "Share of Ear" and Advertiser Perceptions. It reveals 82 million reasons to keep AM radio in vehicles, illustrating why AM/FM radio is still the queen of the road as 82,346,800 Americans listen to AM radio monthly.

The Nielsen Fall 2022 survey revealed 57% of the AM radio audience listens to News/Talk stations, the very outlets that Americans turn to in times of crisis and breaking local news. One out of three American AM/FM radio listeners are reached monthly by AM radio.

Additionally, Edison Research's "Share of Ear" indicates:

• AM/FM radio dominates listening in the car with an 88% share of ad-supported audio

• AM/FM radio's near-90 share of in-car ad-supported audio has been steady as a rock for the last six years

• AM/FM radio's ad-supported shares in the car are dominant across all demographics, even among 18-34s;

• 'Perception' vs. 'reality': Agencies and advertisers underestimate AM/FM radio shares and overestimate Pandora and Spotify audiences. ('Perception' from Advertiser Perceptions data)

Finally, MRI Simmons shows: Ford owners represent 20% of all U.S. AM radio listeners and are more likely to listen to AM radio.

"AM stations serve very unique, targeted constituencies and represent many languages and voices," said Cumulus Media Chief Insights Officer Pierre Bouvard. "As automobile manufacturers consider eliminating AM radio, it's important to underscore that the AM dial is one of the most diverse media platforms in the world. Why would we eliminate this variety from the car?"