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Active Canadians listen to more radio, says new study

There's a direct correlation, says a new study, between radio performance and our level of activity. According to new research conducted by the Foundation Research Group for the Radio Marketing Bureau, working Canadians, parents and the affluent are all above average in terms of radio tuning, with weekly reach of 94% or better.

The study, which surveyed 1,012 Canadians, also found that 81% of adults (18+) listen to radio daily, second only to TV in reach potential. The percentage listening increases to 84% or more for working adults, wealthy Canadians and women with children.

In 2008, states the report, radio use increased or stayed the same as the previous year for 83% of adults - a percentage the RMB points out is equal to the Internet and higher than newspapers (79%) and TV (76%). The study sites longer commutes and the ability to listen at work as some of the main reasons for increased radio tuning.

During a typical work day, adults spend more time with radio than any other media, says the annual study: an average of 125 minutes to traditional radio and 34 minutes to online radio for an average total of 159 minutes - 23% more than TV and approximately double that of the Internet.

Another highlight of the report points to widespread radio accompaniment. Whether driving to work, school or shopping, 70% of Canadians listen to radio; 36% of them listen while surfing the Internet. Wanna know which media ranks highest in reaching consumers prior to a shopping occasion? You guessed it: radio.

"No other single media can match radio for its versatility and ability to reach consumers anytime, anywhere," says Chris Bandak, president of the Foundation Research Group.

www.rmb.ca

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