Ask Suzy Survey Finds Radio Most Trusted Medium

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, January 7, 2019 | 8:52am CT

iHeartMedia today released the results from an Ask Suzy (asksuzy.com) survey that provides deep insights into why radio is America's most trusted medium. Research continues to show that 9 out of 10 Americans listen to radio every day and the new survey revealed that 84% of respondents (people) said radio understands what is important to them, a number that is over 20% greater than network and cable television and social media. In addition, 8 out of 10 people feel that radio aligns with their core values, which is number one across all media.

iHeartRadio was found to be radio's most trusted brand which was attributed in part to iHeartMedia's focus on live and local programming and the connection listeners make with on-air personalities. In addition, leading iHeartMedia personalities were cited as more trustworthy and relatable than top television personalities.

"In a moment where consumer trust in media and marketing is eroding, it's important to know that consumers continue to trust iHeartRadio most because of our live, local and human focus," said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. "We empower our on-air personalities to curate the conversations, content and culture that are important and relevant to the everyday life of their specific audiences. It's this human first approach to programming that differentiates iHeartMedia and provides the perfect context for brands wanting to connect and build deep, trusted relationships with their consumers."

Specific Findings Regarding Radio:

• 81% more trustworthy than cable TV
• 27% more trustworthy than network TV
• 36% more trustworthy than public TV/radio
• Two times more trustworthy than social media
• 8 in 10 people feel radio aligns with their values
• 75+% of listeners believe radio on-air personalities are more trustworthy than TV personalities
• 85% of listeners believe radio personalities make radio more real and expressive than other media
• 80% of listeners feel radio personalities care about their audience and care about "things that matter to me"

Source: AskSuzy Survey December 2018; iHeartMedia "Influencer Marketing," April 2018