DASH PRESENTATION: LISTENING TO FM & AM IN VEHICLES REMAINS STRONG

At the DASH connected car trade show last week [link], Westwood One and Cumulus Media presented new data on the power of radio to reach  listeners in vehicles. The info came from the latest Share of Ear research from Edison Media. Edison publishes quarterly estimates of listening to any audio from all sources.

The data confirms what we wrote in October [DASH: SEARCHING FOR PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT link]. The notion that connected cars are clobbering terrestrial listening in vehicles is a mixed bag. DASH's promise of A Survival Guide for Radio Broadcasters seems like hyperbole to sell tickets to the conference. Consumer adaption and use of new technologies in vehicles is more complex than it seems. Some consumers are embracing connected car features and many others are not.

Keep in mind that Westwood One and Cumulus Media are big commercial entities that are heavily involved in terrestrial broadcasting, so they want to make themselves look good. But the Share of Ear information lays out powerful facts that confirm radio’s robust share of in-vehicle listening. You can download the entire presentation here [link].

SLIDE ONE: LISTENING TO FM & AM IN ALL LOCATIONS IS LARGER THAN ALL OTHER PLATFORMS COMBINED

SLIDE TWO: LISTENING TO FM & AM IN VEHICLES IS OVER 70% OF ALL VEHICLE LISTENING

SLIDE THREE: MOST STREAMING AUDIO LISTENING IS DONE AT HOME, NOT ON THE ROAD

SLIDE FOUR: FM & AM LISTENING IN VEHICLES REMAINS SUBSTANTIAL

SLIDE FIVE: IN VEHICLE LISTENING TO STREAMING AUDIO COMPRISES A SMALL SHARE OF ALL AUDIO LISTENING

THE LESSON: THE BEST WAY FOR TERRESTRIAL RADIO TO CONTINUE TO BE KING OF THE CAR IS TO OFFER COMPELLING CONTENT THAT LISTENERS VALUE & NEED.