WHEN YOU GREW UP DETERMINES YOUR MEDIA PREFERENCES

As noncommercial radio examines its opportunities in the digital, on-demand marketplace, new information shows radio has some strong positives and vulnerabilities. The biggest variable is when folks were born.

On the right is a key chart from a recent study by Pew Research Center [link] the shows preferences for watching television.  The study does not ask about audio delivery preferences but we are assuming that the behavior will be similar.

It all depends on when you were born and what technology you grew up with. Younger people came into a world where digital dominated the media landscape.

About six-in-ten of those surveyed ages 18 to 29 (61%) say the primary way they watch television now is with streaming services on the internet, compared with 31% who say they mostly watch via a cable or satellite subscription and 5% who mainly watch with a digital antenna.

Other age groups are less likely to use internet streaming services and are much more likely to cite cable TV as the primary way they watch television.

Those with a college education or more are more likely than those with less education to say their primary way to watch TV is online streaming. Roughly a third of college-educated Americans (35%) say they mainly watch via streaming, compared with 22% of those who have a high school diploma or less.

BRIDGE RATINGS HAS BREAKING NEWS: RADIO LISTENERS DON'T LIKE COMMERCIALS

Last week Bridge Ratings, a research company that traces media’s affect on consumer behavior, published [link] the results of a study titled Why Radio Can’t Accommodate Today’s Hit Music.

Bridge quizzed 2,200 consumers between the ages of 12 and 64 earlier this year regarding what they like and don’t like about AM/FM radio and what they do like audio streaming audio. 

However, Bridge either did not ask, or included the responses, for reasons respondents don’t like streaming. Such an omission makes the survey appear less honest. So, consider the source when looking at the following charts.

Chart One (on the left) shows that people don’t like commercials. This is hardly breaking news. 

The other four reasons deal with radio’s lack of on-demand choices.

Chart Two is the inverse of Chart One, asking what respondents what like about listening to music radio. Other than the ease of using radio, the reasons are all in the “human dimension” – the stuff that people do better than algorithms.

Chart Three shows what respondents said they do like about streaming.