Home Login RADIO ONLINE RSS Facebook
Advertisement

Study: Programmatic Radio Advertising Set for Growth


The percentage of ad buyers that purchase radio and digital audio advertising with programmatic technology will nearly triple in the next 12 months, according to a new WideOrbit survey of radio industry and media professionals. Ad campaigns purchased with programmatic will also increase, with 100 percent of ad buyers saying that their programmatic spending on audio advertising will either increase or stay the same in the next 12 months.

These results are taken from a survey of nearly 9,000 radio industry professionals and media buyers that was fielded earlier this year by WideOrbit. The final report, "The Future of Programmatic Radio Advertising," discusses attitudes towards programmatic by radio and digital audio ad buyers and sellers. The respondents were media buyers and sales, traffic, IT and general business executives from radio stations and groups across the United States.

According to the report:

  • The future of programmatic audio advertising is bright. Nearly two-thirds of radio industry respondents and almost 90 percent of ad buyers plan to transact with programmatic platforms within the next 12 months.
  • Radio advertising buyers and sellers have different reasons for adopting programmatic. Radio stations and groups are looking to programmatic advertising for additional revenue, inventory protection and workflow automation, while ad buyers favor features that can make campaigns more efficient or effective.
  • Ad buyers are moving faster than radio stations and groups to embrace cross-media campaigns. Most buyers no longer differentiate between traditional and digital audio campaigns, and nearly three-quarters think it's important to buy these formats together. A smaller proportion of ad sellers say it's important to package linear and digital audio together.
WideOrbit Chief Marketing Officer Mickey Wilson said, "Our survey showed that audio ad buyers want to make campaigns more efficient and simpler to manage across media. Programmatic advertising solves both of these problems, which explains why almost all buyers plan to make greater use of the programmatic sales channel in the near future."

He continued, "Based on this survey, we are optimistic that programmatic's importance will grow in radio and digital audio. As more audio inventory becomes available through programmatic platforms and digital and linear inventory are more commonly packaged together, we expect to see greater portions of ad budgets shift to radio because of its unmatched engagement and household penetration."

"The Future of Programmatic Radio Advertising" is available as a free download at http://www2.wideorbit.com/future-of-programmatic-radio.

Advertisement

Latest Radio Stories

iHeartMedia Q2 Revenue Rises 4.7% to $977 Million
iHeartMedia
iHeartMedia
iHeartMedia reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $977.2 million, an increase of 4.7% from $933.7 million a year earlier, as continued growth in its digital and podcast businesses offset weakness in its Multiplatform Group. Excluding political advertising, consolidated revenue increased 3.5%. GAAP More

Entravision Q2 Revenue Jumps 126% on Ad Tech Growth
Entravision Communications
Entravision Communications
Entravision Communications reported second-quarter 2026 net revenue of $227.9 million, up 126% from $100.7 million in the same period last year, driven by rapid growth in its Advertising Technology & Services business. The company's Advertising Technology & Services segment generated $182.8 million in More

Study: Podcast Ads Reach Elusive Streaming Viewers
Cumulus Media | Westwood One
Cumulus Media | Westwood One
Podcast advertising could provide marketers with an effective way to reach consumers who increasingly spend their video viewing time on advertising-free streaming services, according to the latest Podcast Download study from Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights. The Spring 2026 study, conducted by More
Advertisement

RAB Sets Third AI Advantage Webinar for August 19
Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB)
Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB)
The Radio Advertising Bureau will present the third installment of its four-part "AI Advantage for Radio Sales" webinar series on Wednesday, August 19 at Noon CT/1pm ET. The session, "The AI Visibility Playbook for Radio," will focus on how radio stations and local advertisers can improve their More

Disney+, Hulu Add Six iHeart Video Podcasts
iHeartMedia
iHeartMedia
Disney+ and Hulu are expanding their video podcast offerings through a new agreement with iHeartMedia that will bring six iHeartPodcasts titles to the streaming platforms beginning this month. The rollout starts August 14 with "Hey Jonas!," the official Jonas Brothers podcast hosted by Kevin, Joe and More

WTOP Expands Top News Podcast With Hourly Updates
WTOP News
WTOP News
WTOP News in Washington, DC is planning a major expansion of its "Top News Podcast," transforming the program into an on-demand extension of the station's daily news coverage. Under the new format, WTOP will produce 12 to 14 episodes each weekday, offering 20-minute news updates More

Return to Menu

Advertisement

Subscribe to our Newsletter
Radio news and headlines delivered right to your e-mail box -- and it's free.

Advertisement

Advertisement