Radio Reaches More Blacks and Hispanics Than Any Platform

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, October 9, 2019 | 9:09pm CT

Nielsen

To coincide with Hispanic Heritage Month, Nielsen's newly released October 2019 Audio Today Report reveals that radio reaches more Black and Hispanic consumers each week than any other platform measured by the ratings firm. Ninety-two percent (92%) of Blacks 18+ listen weekly, along with 96% of Hispanics 18+. The report also found that on a monthly basis, radio's reach among these consumers is consistent as more than 98% of the standard demographic groups profiled in the report are reached by radio monthly.

Radio reaches more Hispanic consumers every week (96%) than any other platform measured by Nielsen, including Smartphone (86%) and TV (85%). Radio's weekly reach penetration among Hispanics (96%) is the highest of any demographic group captured by Nielsen. For comparison, 92% of all adults 18+ use radio weekly.

Here are some of the highlights from the Audio Today Report:

• Radio offers an advantageous advertising proposition because it primarily reaches these consumers away from home and in their vehicles, closest to the point of purchase. Around 70% of all radio use by Blacks and Hispanics happens outside of the home, with much of that coming from in-car listening.

• Smart speaker ownership continues to rise among Black and Hispanic consumers - more than a third currently own one. And listening to radio content on smart speakers is an important part of how they spend their time. More than 60% of speaker owners listen to radio each week on them.

• As smart speaker penetration continues to increase, Black and Hispanic consumers are listening to more audio as a result - primarily streaming music and AM/FM radio, with podcasts and audiobooks close behind, particularly among Hispanics. More than half of Black and Hispanic smart speaker owners report streaming more music as a result of owning the device, and just under half-listen to more AM/FM radio after owning a smart speaker. Monthly podcast use among Blacks and Hispanics has doubled over the past five years, with news and comedy being the most listened to categories.

• Hispanic consumers consistently tune to radio at every age, particularly on a monthly basis. 99% of Hispanics use radio each month, regardless of age - 99% of Hispanic teens 12-17 use radio monthly and 99% of Hispanics 25-54 do, as well.

• Radio offers an advantageous advertising proposition because it primarily reaches Hispanic consumers away from home and in their vehicles, closest to the point of purchase. 73% of all radio use among Hispanics happens outside of the home, with much of that coming from in-car listening.

• Smart speaker ownership continues to rise with Hispanic consumers - more than a third (32%) currently own one. And listening to radio content on smart speakers is an important part of how they spend their time. More than 60% of Hispanic smart speaker owners listen to radio each week on them.

• As smart speaker penetration continues to increase, Hispanic consumers are listening to more audio as a result - primarily streaming music and AM/FM radio, with podcasts and audiobooks close behind. Nearly seven out of ten (68%) Hispanic smart speaker owners report streaming more music as a result of owning the device, and just under half (43%) listen to more AM/FM radio after owning a smart speaker.

• Monthly podcast use among Hispanic consumers has doubled over the past five years going from 2.8 million monthly users in 2014 to 6.7 million monthly users in 2019. The top categories of podcasts listened to are News, Comedy and Society & Culture.