Home listening of AM/FM radio increased 29% between Feb. 24 and Mar. 30, according to an analysis of PPM data by Radio Connects.
Reflecting listening in the five Canadian PPM markets – Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary – Radio Connects’ COVID-19 Insights found that the medium experienced less than a 5% drop in weekly reach with Adults 25-54 from Jan. 2020. Despite disruption to regular routines and less time spent commuting, time spent listening increased 1.2%.
During the week of Mar. 23, at home listening represented over half of A25-54 tuning. Streaming AM/FM radio accounted for 19% of listening with A25-54, an increase of 72%, up from 11% in January.
Overall, Canadians 12+ spent 7.90 hours per week with AM/FM radio in March vs. 7.58 hours a week in Jan. 2020.
Not surprisingly, News and News/Talk formats are experiencing the biggest gains, with News/Talk, excluding CBC, up 13% and All News stations gaining a 6% lift in listening over the last three weeks, compared to late February and early March.
Radio Connects says as Canadians face challenging times, they are turning to radio, particularly News and News/Talk radio, as a lifeline.
Subscribe Now – Free!
Broadcast Dialogue has been required reading in the Canadian broadcast media for 25 years. When you subscribe, you join a community of connected professionals from media and broadcast related sectors from across the country.
The Weekly Briefing from Broadcast Dialogue is delivered exclusively to subscribers by email every Thursday. It’s your link to critical industry news, timely people moves, and excellent career advancement opportunities.
Let’s get started right now.
