Nielsen Tells Winning Tale About Radio and 35-64 Demo

Story by Inside Radio

The 35-64 population segment continues to be radio’s demographic sweet spot, according to new data from Nielsen’s Total Audience Report. During fourth-quarter 2015, this 30-year age span included the two cells with the highest time spent listening.

Adults 35-49 spent 13 hours, 23 minutes per week tuned to AM/FM, exceeding the total population average of 12 hours, 8 minutes. Adults 50-64 spent the most time with radio, clocking in at nearly 15 hours per week (14:54). Apart from live+DVR/time-shifted TV (42:59) no other media comes close to radio’s TSL with this demo, which comprises a big chunk of the raised-on-radio Baby Boomer generation.

Generally speaking, the younger the demo, the less time spent with TV and radio and the more spent online. That said, radio usage remains strong with both 25-34-year-olds (11 hours, 11 minutes a week, down from 11:30 one year earlier) and with 18-24-year-olds (9:53, down from 10:25). Teen-agers 12-17 continue to spend the least time with radio at 6 hours, 53 minutes per week.

Among 25-34’s, nearly as much time was spent with app/Web on a smartphone (10:49) as with radio. And 18-24’s spend over an hour more with app/Web on a smartphone (11:15) than with radio. Those online numbers have grown significantly in the past year. Weekly app/Web use on a smartphone among 18-24’s is up by nearly 2.5 hours per week during the past year, from 8 hours, 42 minutes in Q4 2015 to 11:15 one year later. And 25-34’s have added nearly an hour and a half per week online via their smartphones from 9:24 in 2014 to 10:49 in 2015.