Since online platforms really began to take off in the 2000s we have seen several come and go but radio continues to attract audiences.
So why does radio continue to be must-have media?
The Q1 2024 official UK radio listening data from RAJAR shows that 89% of people tune in to radio every week for an average 20.5 hours.
One of the things that those of us in the radio business like to mention is that radio is the most-easily-consumed media in the car, but the stats reveal that 62% of listening is in the home, with in-vehicle listening at 58%, and other listening at 19%.
That means that any sense that ‘most radio listening’ is people in traffic jams searching for travel news, or white van man blasting out the bangers while delivering parcels, is misguided.
Radio’s appeal – especially for those listening at home given the oversized amount of listening there – must be about so much more. After all, at home we have so many choices of media to consume, even for those working from home.
Digital listening is dominant in 2024 with 73% of weekly listening hours consumed through DAB (58%), smart speakers (23%), website/apps (15%) and other online platforms.
The power of interruption
Is radio’s enduring success about providing music to soundtrack our day?
Well, to some extent yes, and it does provide a curated playlist, but then Spotify is also a strong option given its huge library of songs, the ability to create our own playlist, and lack of interruptions.
That last point is a big one for radio, especially when the word interruption is framed differently.
We usually consider ‘interruption’ to be a negative word and in radio terms that can certainly be true – ads, inane chatter, etc.
But actually interrupting is simply defined as ‘stopping a continuous process’ or ‘breaking the continuity’. This can be both negative and positive depending on context.
For someone working from home , looking after children at home, those who are unable to go out, etc. breaking the continuity (or monotony) must surely be an appeal of radio.
Feeling connected
Having someone connecting with you makes a big difference to those who would otherwise be isolated. And it’s a passive process, unless you choose to interact.
Any radio professional should know one of the most important ingredients in the radio recipe – focusing on one listener. And that remains one of the things that continues to make radio special.
Although radio professionals will know – and usually actively use – the technique of broadcasting as if to one listener rather than a crowd, certain presenters can make the ‘gang’ approach work where they address their audience as a group – and perhaps have multiple people as part of their on air team – they never forget to make it inclusive.
Radio also uniquely achieves connection due to to its targeted approach.
While ‘big channel’ TV is a platform with a variety of show styles, radio generally connects listeners across the station with the feeling that its one happy team of presenters, or at least creating that illusion!
For most stations, you can tune in 24/7 and feel at least a general sense of connection to the station even if your favourite presenter isn’t on.
And just to put a tech spin on the ‘connected’ theme. Radio’s availability is also a major reason for its success. Just about every car, home, office, and person has access to a device that provides them with radio without login in or jumping through other hoops. Contrast that against many online communities!
This is just the start of why radio continues to bring in big audiences, I would love to hear your thoughts.
