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Jacobs Media: Rock Fans Like Streaming
June 14, 2006 at 11:15 AM (PT)
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According to the latest reports issued from JACOBS MEDIA’s 2006 Technology Web Poll, streaming continues to profile as a primary internet activity.
Among respondents (who are mostly members of Rock-formatted stations’ email clubs) to the poll, 86% use the internet for at least one hour on an average weekday, and 92% have access to a high-speed Internet connection. Overall, 29% listen to internet radio of one sort or another -- up from 23% in the 2005 study. Mainstream Rock and Alternative fans tend to more regularly listen to streaming audio.
Among these fans of streaming, 32% indicate they now log onto the streams provided by the stations that participated in the survey, which is up from 12% in last year's poll. JACOBS attributes the increase to the fact that more terrestrial stations began streaming their audio in the past year, which seems like a solid theory.
How important is streaming to overall listenership? Among those who say the station that sent them JACOBS' questionnaire currently provides a stream, 74% say they now listen a little or a lot more than before. And for those who report that the station that sent them the questionnaire does not stream, 77% also say they would listen a little or a lot more if this service were provided.
Commented JACOBS MEDIA Pres. FRED JACOBS, "Stations that stream stand to gain a significant amount of listening because they provide well-known, accessible music and entertainment brands to those searching for online entertainment. Streaming also allows stations to provide their local audiences with simple, well-known alternatives to online options like AOL Radio or stations from around the U.S. and the world."
JACOBS continued, commenting, "Clearly, there’s an expense associated with streaming. Some stations and broadcast companies have shied away from providing this service because of the cost. But this new poll underscores the notion that offering an Internet stream is analogous to erecting a new tower, giving consumers a chance to listen in environments where radio usage was difficult, if not impossible. Weighing the costs of streaming versus other marketing and contesting activities is a no-brainer. No other promotional line item provides the same level of listening increases as streaming. It is a superb investment in the present and the future."

