Radio Has Highest Reach Among Moms

Story by Nielsen Ratings Service and Inside Radio

The demo that controls the purse strings for much of U.S. consumer spending is hopelessly hooked on radio. Moms—the 25.1 million of them aged 18-49 living in their own home with children under 12—are reached by radio in greater numbers than any other media, according to new third quarter 2016 data released Tuesday by Nielsen.

The research giant’s latest Total Audience Report shines a light on this influential demographic and the results provide potent sales ammo for the industry to begin the New Year with. Radio reached some 26.9 million moms aged 18-49 during an average week in Sept. 2016, more than any other media platform, including the much-vaunted smartphone which came in second at 25.3 million and TV (third place, 22.6 million). Not only is radio tops in cume among all moms, it leads among the subset of working moms, drawing 17.8 million per week in the coveted demo, ahead of TV (16.8 million) and the smartphone (14.9 million).

“Stay-at-home moms spend more time with the TV screen while working moms spend more time listening to radio,” says Glenn Enoch, senior VP, audience insights, Nielsen.

Moms account for 39% of all women aged 18-49 and almost three quarters of them are in the labor force. And the percentage of working moms increases with age. While two-thirds of moms 18-24 are working, the number shoots up to 77%-78% for moms over 40.

The new research reinforces radio’s prominence within the U.S. workforce among a group known for their heft in consumer spending. “Moms and/or working moms are buying for a whole range of different people—themselves, their husbands, their children and often for their aging parents,” says Stacey Lynn Schulman, executive VP of Strategy, Analytics and Research for Katz Media Group. “They really are controlling the purse strings for almost the entire population, for products ranging from womb to tomb.”

The study finds that radio reaches moms away from home, where they can be influenced closer to the point of purchase. In fact, 71% of radio listening among moms 18-49 occurs out of home but the percentage jumps to 77% among working moms. And while radio’s primetime is daytime for moms, working moms listen more during the morning and evening commute. Radio’s AQH among working moms 18-49 surpasses a 16 rating during the 7am hour and exceeds 14 in the 5pm hour.



So what formats are moms tuning in the most? Perhaps unsurprisingly, CHR is tops among both moms (with a 14.6 share) and working moms (14.9), followed by country (13.8 with moms, 13.9 for working moms). The difference in tuning behavior between moms and working moms is more noticeable among the third- and fourth-place formats. AC scores an 8.9 share among moms but a 9.7 with working moms. And hot AC nets an 8.8 with moms but a 9.4 with working moms. Urban contemporary ranked fifth with a 6.5 share among both groups.

“Regardless of working status, moms prefer pop, followed by country radio,” the Nielsen report concludes. “Latino and religious formats skew higher with stay-at-home moms.”