With Nielsen’s first full book under its new three-minute PPM qualifier in the books, Cumulus Media and Westwood One’s research arm says the Spring 2025 Nationwide study confirms what early snapshots suggested for metered markets and the national total.
The dataset, which aggregates every US county across both PPM and diary markets, shows AM/FM radio’s audience growing across key demos and dayparts, with the strongest lifts during nights and weekends.
Among adults 25–54, average quarter-hour listening rose 6% compared to Fall 2024, driven by a 19% gain in PPM markets. Weekends were up 9% and nights up 11% across the demo. Growth skewed higher among men and older listeners, with notable increases among college graduates and households earning $75,000 or more. Nights and weekends posted double-digit gains among Hispanic 25–54 listeners, and nights were up 12.2% among Black 25–54 listeners. Format shares held steady.
Nielsen attributes much of the lift to its three-minute qualifier, which captures the shorter listening occasions that make up nearly a quarter of PPM sessions.
The adjustment narrowed the long-standing gap between top-market listening and the national average: the top-50 market index improved from 19% below to 16% below Nationwide levels. For advertisers, that translates to modest increases in impressions from large markets, with final delivery varying by lineup and format.
Westwood One VP of Research Scott Anekstein noted that AQH growth and stable format shares point to stronger planning metrics for both national advertisers and independent operators.
In August, Radio Ink‘s Radio Masters Sales Series webinar examined Nielsen’s new three-minute PPM qualifier and its effect on radio’s reported audiences. Using Q1 2024 vs. Q1 2025 results from 48 metered markets, McVay Media President Mike McVay, Research Director Inc. Programming Research Consultant Steve Allan, and Radio Ink Editor-in-Chief Cameron Coats found AQH gains across formats, demos, and dayparts, with nights and weekends showing the biggest lift.
More detailed analysis is available via the Audio Active Group.
