Audacy Study Highlights News/Talk's Marketing Power

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, July 7, 2026 | 11:15am CT

Audacy

Audacy is making the case that News/Talk radio remains one of the most valuable environments for advertisers, citing new research that positions the format as radio's largest across both broadcast and streaming while highlighting high levels of audience loyalty, trust and purchasing power.

According to The Marketers' Guide to News/Talk Radio, News/Talk now accounts for 22% of all AM/FM station streaming, nearly three times the share of the next closest format, while also leading all radio formats in overall listening. The company says one in four Americans now considers themselves a "News Fanatic," checking the news at least five times daily and seeking deeper context beyond headlines.

The study also found that News/Talk listeners are among radio's most loyal audiences. Fifty-four percent identify News-Talk as their primary listening format, compared with 41% for Sports listeners, while listeners spend 45% more time with News/Talk stations than with all-news stations.

Trust remains a defining advantage for the format, according to the research. Audacy reports that 84% of listeners trust local News radio, outpacing broadcast television (82%), national News radio (79%) and social media (74%). The report also describes News-Talk audiences as politically balanced, with roughly half identifying as independents or independent-leaning.

The research points to an affluent audience as well, reporting a median household income of approximately $95,000 and an above-average concentration of consumers with net worths exceeding $2 million. It also notes that News-Talk listening extends well beyond traditional over-the-air radio, with 52% of streaming occurring on mobile devices and millennials consuming twice as much News-Talk via streaming as over-the-air listening.

For advertisers, Audacy says News/Talk campaigns generate measurable business results. The study found that radio advertising in the format delivers 56% awareness, 47% consideration and 49% purchase or conversion among ad-exposed consumers. Audacy's analytics also showed News-Talk campaigns produced an average 24% increase in website traffic, with some categories, including travel and tourism, seeing gains of as much as 67%.