Baby Boomers are steady radio listeners, according to a Bridge Ratings study conducted during June and July 2007.
Nearly three-quarters of respondents said they would listen to the same amount of AM/FM radio in the next six months. Another 12% said they would listen to more radio, while 10% said they would cut back on their radio time. By contrast, Bridge also surveyed 8-to-12-year-olds, and found that only 30% of them planned to listen to the same amount of AM/FM radio in the next six months.
"As the number of people who purchase and listen to music has been increasing, the number of people listening to music radio is decreasing," Bridge noted in a statement announcing the findings.
The report announcement also cited Census data estimating that there will be 84 million 43-to-61-year-olds in the US by 2010. If only 10% plan to scale back their radio listening, that leaves 75.6 million Boomers tuning in as much or more as before.
Such steady listening should be music to the ears of the radio industry. Traditional radio is fighting for listener time with other media.
A Lumin Collaborative-commissioned survey conducted by Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates found that US adults spent more time on the Internet and watching television than listening to radio.
While traditional radio continues to reach over 90% of the American public weekly, revenues for the industry have been flat over the past six years. Broadcasters are struggling to incorporate the Internet, podcasting, HD radio and other technologies into their business models.
"Digital and interactive technologies don't spell the end of traditional media such as TV or radio," said eMarketer senior analyst Ben Macklin. "Content is not necessarily enhanced by it being digital."
As the industry moves to incorporate the best of new media, targeting the most loyal radio listeners may help make the transition smoother.
The eMarketer Baby Boomers report will be published in November 2007. Please click here to be notified when it is released.