Radio Plays a Major Role in Lives of American Women

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, May 13, 2024

Cumulus Media | Westwood One

Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group partnered with Alan Burns & Associates to conduct a new study in the "What Women Want" series. 1,001 U.S. women aged 15-64 took an online MARU/Matchbox survey from September 28 through October 6, 2023. In addition, the Audio Active Group team analyzed data from Nielsen, Edison's "Share of Ear," Katz Media, and the just released Jacobs Media Techsurvey 2024 to seek insights on the female listener.

Here are the key findings as outlined in this week's blog.

• Post-COVID, working women indicate they are commuting less, impacting their time spent with AM/FM radio in the car

• In-car radio listening is a strong habit and AM/FM radio dominates in-vehicle ad-supported audio

• When asked to think about their personal lives, women prioritize family, health, and relationships over money and career, providing clues for relevant content

• How can marketers reach women as they begin their day? AM/FM radio, the dominant morning media platform where the most compelling morning AM/FM radio content among women offers advertisers many sponsorship and integration opportunities

• For call-in AM/FM radio shows, women first desire unusual stories, news/current events, and entertainment/pop culture

• Women love their favorite AM/FM radio station almost as much as their phone and more than Amazon, Netflix, Apple, Spotify, and TikTok

• Jacobs Media Techsurvey 2024: Almost half of women say they really feel a sense of connection with their favorite station, 24% more than men

• Why so much affection and connection to a favorite station? Katz Media finds women have been listening to their most preferred station an average of 18 years

• Non-music elements dominate the reasons why women listen to AM/FM radio; "Free" tops the list

• The vital role of personalities: 64% of women say AM/FM radio hosts are the main reason they listen, according to Jacobs Media's Techsurvey 2024

• Universally, six out of ten women feel "today's music is not as good as it was years ago

• Across the generations, free, fun, favorite songs, and companionship resonate