According to the ratings firm, the March PPM survey showed that radio experienced ” significant gains” in listening, an 8% increase month-over-month in total AQH audience. Nielsen reports the increase was the largest single-month increase in average audience since June of last year.
The gains were driven by increases in both weekly reach (adding nearly 4 million consumers in March – a 3% increase versus February) as well as time spent listening (gaining by over 20 minutes – on average – a 5% increase compared with last month).
The year-over-year comparison between the March 2020 and March 2021 PPM stands at a 96 index for weekly reach and a 93 index for AQH. This means that from a weekly reach perspective, the radio audience in March 2021 is 96% the size of the same month from one year ago, while for AQH the number is 93%.
We will soon see how the momentum from Q4, and these higher listening numbers, translate to revenue. Public companies start reporting Q1 earnings in May.
