Where people listen to the radio
Posted on Friday, January 2nd, 2009 at 10:31am. #
There’s a perception that the car is the most popular place to listen to the radio. New-platform detractors note, rightly, that platforms like the internet, DAB, or DVB haven’t really made it into the car.
The car is not the most popular place to listen to the radio.
In the US, in-car listening is 35% of total listening. Over a third of all US radio listening is done in the car.
In Australia, in-car listening is 26% of total listening. Over a quarter of all Australian radio listening is done in the car.
And here in the UK, the figure is just 21%. Over a fifth of all UK radio listening is done in the car.
While it’s important to ensure that new-platforms reach the car, it’s considerably less important than many people think.
I’ll examine the various new-platform technologies for in-car radio tomorrow.
Photo: Mahdi Ayat. Used under licence.
Johnnie
Johnnie
Whilst I totally agree with your conclusion “to ensure that new-platforms reach the car” there could be a number of other factors:
1) British (ie, BBC) radio offers more formats that are not just about amazing people whilst they drive. Radio 4, in particular, is unrivalled elsewhere and offers programming that is beyond car-time-filling;
2) With AM, FM, DAB, Freeview, Freesat, Sky, Virgin Media and online the British public love their well funded, ad-free radio and this makes it suitable for listening everywhere.
3) There is a culture of radio listening in the UK that doesn’t just see it as “car time”, but as everything from the bedside alarm-clock, via the breakfast table, online at work, shared at work, live sports and so forth.
4) People can often listen to it on the move on public transport. I have often taken a bus so I can listen to the radio when otherwise I would use the tube, for example.