TechSurvey12: Radio Tops Brand Platform Pyramid 2016

Fred Jacobs

Jacobs Media has released the findings of its 12th annual national web survey.  The annual "Techsurvey" looks at how consumers are receiving their audio and video entertainment. The latest survey concludes that the car continues to be an important story for radio as a majority of the audience spends the lion's share of their listening in a moving vehicle.  It also shows a highly evolving and changing media environment.

In its new web study of radio listeners, the fast-moving media environment is now tracked using two different “pyramids” that track the ways in which consumers are using their new media entertainment and information options. Overall, 13 different radio formats and four generations provide the narrative that explains this evolving landscape.

“Every year when we sit down to analyze the data, we’re in search of ‘the one big thing’ that impacts radio,” Jacobs Media president Fred Jacobs said in a release unveiling results from the survey, which was conducted from Jan. 19-Feb. 22. “This year, we see strong signs that podcasting may emerge as a game changer for broadcasters.”

With on-demand audio experiencing striking gains, Jacobs says, “Every broadcaster should be developing a podcasting content strategy.”

Connected car ownership has doubled from last year. One in five respondents say they drive a car with an in-media system such as Ford Sync or Chrysler Connect, while two-thirds (64%) reported connecting their phone to their car. Smartwatches, however, are struggling. With only 4% of respondents owning one, Jacobs calls the smartwatch “a gadget in search of a market.”

As for broadcast radio, it forms the foundation of the annual survey’s usage pyramid—more than 90% of respondents spend at least one hour per day with radio and/or television.

The traditional Media Usage Pyramid is comprised of gadgets (smartphones, Smart TVs), big media activity (TV viewing, radio listening), as well as key activities (social media profile, audio and video streaming).

And the Brand/Platform pyramid provides broadcasters with a visual look at the specific channels their audiences are regularly using – from SiriusXM to Pandora to YouTube to Twitter.

Key findings:

• More than eight in ten respondents now own a smartphone and two-thirds now have a tablet
• Nearly half of respondents own a Smart TV or one connected with a device like Apple TV or Chromecast — up from 41% last year
• Nearly six in ten stream audio weekly or more often — flat from last year
• Almost three in ten have listened to a podcast or on-demand audio in the past month, up from last year’s levels
• One fifth drive a car with an in-media system like Ford SYNC or Chrysler UConnect.
• Only 4% of respondents own a smartwatch

Techsurvey12 was powered by NuVoodoo who provided analytical and platform support.