Update: Bridge Ratings Audience Erosion Study 2005
Is radio listening erosion slowing? In 11/04, Bridge Ratings & Research released initial results from a multi-year-long Audience Attrition project. The results in that report reflected audience erosion from terrestrial radio due to generally less time spent with AM/FM radio and more time spent with a variety of digital media, including MP3 players (including iPods), Internet radio, satellite radio and DC.
As part of Bridge Ratings' ongoing studies of listening behavior, the company updated the report in March by releasing the 2004 FY trending from its Audience Attrition project as well as initial findings from January/February, 2005.
As part of the ongoing review of audience attrition, Bridge Ratings released its updated report reflect behavior through Q3 '05. This study, which has been tracking such behavior since January, 2004, once again reveals behaviors we have assumed are taking place, but heretofore have not had clinical results to confirm. While this project is intended to be a two year study, initial results show:
1. Audience erosion to alternative audio entertainment continues to occur through all demographics.
2. Erosion rate is still most evident in younger demographics and is pronounced in the 12-24 year old age group however the adoption and use of new technologies are becoming commonplace among the 25+ age group.
3. Ongoing interest in alternative media has been building through each of the months thus far studied and has, in fact, accelerated through the third quarter of 2005.
4. Where male and female 12-17 year olds a year ago were equally using digital playback devices (iPod, MP3), Internet Radio and Compact Disc, time spent with these devices, especially MP3 players has increased among males faster than with females as 2005 progresses. Interestingly, satellite radio is still not considered a "high interest" item among this age group.
5. Audience erosion in traditional radio is slowing in most demographics. For example, where a 16% increase in alternative media use by Adults 35-64 was reported in February 2005, in September 2005 use had risen only 13%. Meanwhile, listening to traditional radio by this age group continues to rise from 70 quarter hours a week (Q4 2004) to 75.
A FY 2005 update will be released by Bridge Ratings the first week of January 2006.
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