Radio’s resilience
Alternative options like streaming audio and podcasts are one potential correlate with a general decrease in radio listenership, according to Forbes. Competition for listeners goes beyond listening time as streaming services improve playlist curation. Spotify introduced an AI DJ and daylists in 2023, curated by AI algorithms. Commercial radio stations use promotions and sales to minimize the gap.
“As playlists get more and more developed, there’s a promotional aspect,” said COO at Sony-owned RCA John Fleckenstein in a press release. “What we have found is that it’s wrong to apply our structure to the world. As playlisting and curation evolves on these platforms, so will our teams.”
On top of rising radio alternatives, radio listenership increasingly skews towards older groups. According to Edison Research, the average radio listener is 46, while the average streaming audio listener is 34.
“Younger generations are definitely used to streaming and on-demand, and that’s what’s going to be popular. So reaching younger generations is an uphill battle,” Amador said.
Without a way to gauge live listeners, in terms of age or otherwise, radio stations look to research companies such as Nielsen and Edison Research to gather insight about their audience. Their joint effort, “The Record,” revealed Americans spend four hours a day listening to audio across ad-supported and ad-free platforms.
Radio holds onto at least half of this time, even looking at those aged 18-34 alone, according to Nielson and Edison Research. This outpaces podcasts, holding 35% of daily listening time, and streaming audio, holding 15%.
Huang listens to the radio every morning as she eats breakfast. The 10-minute reports fit with her time commitment. Tuning into NPR has become part of her daily routine. But Huang is slightly unique in the time and place she tunes in. Among those aged 13 and older, 46% will only ever listen to the radio while in the car, according to Edison Research.
“I know a lot of friends and their parents who just turn on the radio station when we’re driving,” Huang said. “It helps clear my mind.”
Beyond the accessibility listening to the radio at the same time as others means communing with them in that moment, according to Amador.
“Last night it started raining a lot. So I did a whole set about rain. That’s not going to happen on your algorithm; it’s happening at the moment, and I think there are still people that really cherish that,” Amador said. “I think what we have is the human connection, and to me, that’s what brings people to radio.”