New Gallup poll data on Gen Z reveals that the gulf between social media usage and audio consumption is much more narrow than some would suggest. Daily media consumption figures show how audio remains a viable target for advertisers wanting younger audiences.
Gallup’s Familial and Adolescent Health Survey, conducted between June 26 and July 17, found that 51% of teenagers are engrossed in social media for at least four hours daily. In total, teens spend an average of 4.8 hours per day spent on social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
The study, which included data from 6,643 parents and 1,591 adolescents, also noted variations within age groups and genders. While 13-year-olds clock in at 4.1 hours per day, 17-year-olds reach as high as 5.8 hours. Girls are particularly active, with an average usage of 5.3 hours compared to boys’ 4.4 hours. At the same time, this demographic also averages 4.5 hours of daily audio consumption, according to data from Edison Research.
Gallup found YouTube and TikTok emerged as the most popular platforms among teens, who spend an average of 1.9 and 1.5 hours on these platforms, respectively. Instagram also remained popular, averaging 0.9 hours of use per day among teens. In
Gen Z’s audio habits are just as varied, and, predictably, not confined to traditional OTA broadcasts. Only 37% surveyed by Edison had listened to AM/FM radio in the past week, dedicating just 15% of their audio time to it. Instead, they lean heavily towards digital formats, with 35% of their TSL committed to streaming platforms. There is also overlap where social media meets audio – 24% of audio time is spent on YouTube.
Perception of social media’s role on mental health also played a part in how much time teenagers spent on digital platforms, with those more conscientious spending considerably less time on apps. This is inverse to radio, where 55% of those aged 18 to 34 said they would be extremely or very likely to listen to a program that covered mental health topics or was candid and honest about those issues.
In summary, Gen Z’s media consumption is largely digital-centric, whether it’s social media or audio. While they spend significant time on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, their audio preferences are shifting towards streaming and podcasts. Both social and psychological factors play into these habits, making it crucial for the radio industry to take a multi-faceted approach to engage this generation effectively.
But we need to get AM mandated for every car because I’m sure these folks are tuning there for emergency information. Not.
This is supposed to be good news for traditional radio? More audio consumption by GenZ is coming out of time formally spent with over the air radio. Gen Z has a better chance dialing their mothers on a rotary phone than they do finding the local top40 station on the FM dial.