Westwood One Blog Examines Radio Listening Habits For People Working From Home

Listening At Home

With working from home quickly becoming a reality for many Americans, this week’s WESTWOOD ONE blog answers questions agencies have about what this means for AM/FM radio listening habits:

What is AM/FM radio’s reach among Americans who work from home? 

• NIELSEN SCARBOROUGH USA+ reports that 90.8% of Americans who work from home are reached by AM/FM radio. AM/FM radio is the soundtrack of the American worker regardless of where they sit.

What is AM/FM radio’s share of audio at home and how does it compare to the workplace? 

• EDISON RESEARCH’s latest Q4 2019 “Share of Ear” study indicates AM/FM radio’s share of ad-supported audio is very strong at home and at work. In both locations, AM/FM radio is the dominant audio platform.

What is the propensity to own smart speakers among people that work from home?

• Those that work from home are 43% more likely to own smart speakers according to NIELSEN SCARBOROUGH USA+.

If more people are at home, what are they listening to on their smart speakers? 

• Per EDISON’s “Share of Ear,” AM/FM radio is the number one most listened to audio source on smart speakers.

What is the impact of listening shifts on NIELSEN “RADAR” network radio audience service? 

• NIELSEN’s network radio audience measurement was designed to smooth out the highs and lows of AM/FM radio listening. RADAR is based on a one-year rolling average of four quarters that smooths out the highs and the lows. The four-quarter rolling average stabilizes changes caused by major events throughout the year.

How are audiences reported in NIELSEN AUDIO local markets? 

• The concept of a rolling average also exists in NIELSEN AUDIO local markets. In the 48 Portable People Meter markets, buyers and sellers generally use an average of the most recent three-month reports. In 44 larger diary radio markets, Nielsen recently introduced Continuous Diary Measurement, which is based on three-month rolling averages.

Are there any early reads on listening from the past week? 

• TRITON, the streaming audio audience service, reports that online audio shares to Public Radio and News/Talk stations have grown in the past week. 

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