Who is the Biggest Audio Generation & What Does That Mean for Internet Radio?

Recently, iHeartMedia released a study that found that "consumer interest in audio is now at an all-time high, with listeners enjoying more audio content across a vast array of platforms including broadcast radio, digital streaming, podcasts and smart speakers."

More specifically, radio is reaching "more people than any other media both daily and weekly," with broadcast radio reaching 85 percent of consumers on a weekly basis. Not only does radio surpass all other audio channels, but "radio has two times the daily listening of streaming services, reaching 69 percent of consumers compared to streaming music’s 34 percent."

When broken down by age, while all ages are enjoying audio with an average of 17.2 audio listening hours/week, Millennials and Gen Z listen to audio the most. They come in at a whopping 18+ audio listening hours/week with a daily breakdown of 2.6+ audio listening hours/day.

The study also notes that radio "leads media use 70 percent of waking hours and is the most used audio platform all day, and at all hours." And, with the current rise of smart speakers, radio is more prominent in the home than ever before.

Ultimately, these statistics point to the fact that we are living in an "audio-first world" where we all have a need "for live, human connections." This makes radio the perfect medium as it "serves as a companion throughout the day."

So, what does all this mean for broadcasters and internet radio generally?

While it may seem obvious, it's important to note the huge opportunity that lies in this high consumer interest in audio. If consumers are highly interested in listening to audio, specifically radio, that means that your station has a higher chance than ever to become people's go-to station.

Indeed, there is and will continue to be a plethora of audio content and more specifically, radio stations, to choose from, but that's not to say you can't truly compete with that audio content with a little work.

With smart speakers still on the rise and Millennials and Gen Z consuming so much audio, the interest in audio doesn't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. And, as smart speakers continue to grow in popularity, specifically internet radio has an even greater chance to continue growing. While the numbers explicitly speak to people listening to broadcast radio, the truth is that as we continue to become even more technologically advanced, internet radio has the opportunity to grab a larger percent of radio listeners.

So, with all that said, that's how internet radio fits into all of these statistics. The listeners are there and the statistics prove that they are there, so now's the time broadcasters! Put a little extra love into your station and your marketing efforts because there is truly no better time as we are living in an audio-first world!

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