According to the 6th Nielsen Audio Consumer Sentiment survey, radio reached 122.1 million consumers in PPM markets during an average week in May 2021 which was an 8% Year-over-Year increase vs. May 2020. The study focuses on how people feel about getting past the COVID-19 pandemic.
Radio’s average quarter-hour audience also saw big gains during the study period, peaking at 7.8 million people in PPM markets in May 2021 which was a 20% Year-over-Year gain vs. May 2020.
The study showed that 26% of consumers are spending more than an hour in their vehicles in June 2021 compared with 14% in April 2020. Heavy radio listeners are far more likely to spend more than an hour in their vehicle (40%) compared with total consumers (26%).
“With easing restrictions, America is getting out on the open road and time spent in vehicles continues to climb,” said Brad Kelly, Managing Director, Nielsen Audio. “More road trips, commuting to work, visits to family and friends and trips to stores means more listening to broadcast radio and an opportunity for advertisers to capitalize on America’s increasing consumer confidence as we emerge from the pandemic.”
Ladies and Gentlemen, time to raise your rates…so we can make up our Covid losses. People are tired of being in their computers all the time. …Yes, they’re turning their radios back on, they’re getting back out there… And the facts prove that our product is growing again. If everyone in a market raises their rates by 10%, we’ll be good. And every business is raising their prices right now.