Thursday, April 16, 2009

Edison Research and Arbitron release "The Infinite Dial 2009"

This is a must read for all broadcasters (at least those who plan to be in the business in the future). Edison Research and Arbitron this afternoon released their study entitled "The Infinite Dial 2009: Radio's Digital Platforms. It is the 17th in their series of investigations of the Internet and new media's impact on radio.

Click at the bottom of this post for the whole study, but here are some quick takeaways:

AM/FM radio has broad impact in the new digital world

  • 92% of Americans 12+ use AM/FM radio each week
  • One in five say AM/FM radio has a big impact on their lives
  • Radio's "Total Impact" is second only to cell phones among audio devices/media
  • Eight in 10 Americans say they will continue to listen to AM/FM radio as much as they do now despite increasing advancements in technology
  • Online radio users spend more time with radio overall, not less

Recent Growth in Online Radio Usage is Promising

  • An estimated 42 million tune to online radio on a weekly basis, which is more than twice the number from 2005
  • The key radio demographic of 35 to 54 year olds are becoming more frequent online listeners

Radio's Digital Platforms Provide Advertisers with New Touch Points to Reach Desirable Targets

  • Radio's digital platform users are a highly attractive segment
  • Online radio users are well-educated, upper income, full-time employed and digitally savvy consumers
  • Broadcasters are providing an increasingly wide variety of digital options for advertisers and new methods to connect ROI with media spend

Americans are Exercising More Control Over Their Use of Media

  • Americans are increasingly enhancing their use of traditional media with new ways to control how, when and where they consume information and entertainment

Consumers Expect to Find Their Content Online

  • Broadband access is the norm
  • Media not meeting consumer expectations will suffer
  • Pulling digital audio streams will accelerate adoption of alternative choices

Consumers Want Expanded Media Options in Their Cars

  • One-third of Americans say they are interested in online radio in their cars
  • Satellite radio continues to add subscribers
  • iPod and podcast usage continues to grow with more car radios with auxiliary jacks

Audio Content Providers Should Not Ignore the Explosion of Online Video

  • Radio station web sites must embrace online video
  • Use of online video exceeds online radio
  • Two-thirds of monthly online radio users also watched online video in the past month

Media Should Accelerate Efforts to Get Their Content on Mobile Phones

  • Mobile phones are the next frontier
  • Content providers should find ways onto mobile phones

Little Evidence to Date of Significant Interest or Uptake for HD Radio

  • Awareness has not changed substantially
  • Value proposition not clear to consumers

Social Networking is Now Mainstream

  • One in three Americans (12+) and 2/3 of teens and 18-24s now have a profile on a social networking site
  • Social networking is a vital communication channel for consumers; content providers should find ways to tap the power of this new digital platform

Take the time to read the entire presentation.

George

Media Services Group

http://www.mediaservicesgroup.com/


http://www.edisonresearch.com/home/archives/2009/04/the_infinite_dial_2009_presentation.php

1 comment:

  1. A couple of interesting and/or surprising things catch my eye.

    Under the heading "It's Really Scary How Fast Things Change": Twitter is never mentioned in this quite recent survey, though it is suddenly the fastest growing social site vs. last year according to Nielsen. (http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/twitters-tweet-smell-of-success/) Plus it's now number 2 overall behind Facebook. It reminds us all to pay close attention!

    The lack of relevance for people with regard to HD Radio is a subset of that. Can the radio industry please take any and all resources and energy away from HD Radio and move that IN to teaching and making the most of social networks and interconnecting listeners with the stations and adversisers??? Please!

    Secondly, I was quite surprised to see the summation note that "Satellite Radio continues to add subscribers". So much else shows the staggering lack of growth in Satellite. I would like to have seen a bit more detailed information with regard to this fizzling medium as there continues to remain a very small but boisterous handful of advertisers who believe and preach that "everybody is going to satellite" - when nothing could be further from the truth!

    All in all though, some extremely important and useful information in this study. Thanks for posting George!

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