Jacobs Media/PRPD Public Radio Techsurvey 2020 Released

2020 Study

JACOBS MEDIA has released the results of its PUBLIC RADIO TECHSURVEY 2020 in conjunction with the PUBLIC RADIO PROGRAM DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION (PRPD).

JACOBS MEDIA Pres. FRED JACOBS said, “In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impending election, the data in this year’s PUBLIC RADIO TECHSURVEY, our 12th study of public radio listeners, reveals how the traumatic environment in 2020 is impacting public radio listening behaviors. The march to digital had already been well underway, and the events of this year show further seismic shifts in listening by location and platform.”

PRPD Pres. ABBY GOLDSTEIN said, “As 2020 has proved challenging to the public radio system on many levels, the data revealed in this year’s PRTS is a valuable resource for programmers and managers seeking actionable information to track and navigate these choppy waters.”

Among the findings were that overall radio listening is down and the percentage of public radio listeners saying they do not listen to broadcast radio for more than an hour on an average weekday on any device rose from 14% to 17% year-to-year (and up from 11% in 2018). In-car listening fell from 39% to 30%. Increased listening appears to be connected to politics and COVID-19, with those saying they listened to more public radio in the past year (26%) crediting the political climate (55%), lifestyle changes triggered by the pandemic (50%), or for COVID-19 news (39%).

Also down is usage of "regular" radios, off from 82% to 77% in the last year, while digital listening rose from 31% to 36% of weekly public radio listening, with Millennials and Gen X leading the way. Also, 38% of smartphone or tablet owners say that they have downloaded their primary public radio station’s mobile app, up from 32% last year.

As for podcasts, listening among public radio listeners increased from 34% to 38%, with Millennials and News-Talk listeners in front, but a third of weekly podcast users say they listen to less live AM/FM radio.

And for attitudes about the pandemic, 67% say the "worst is yet to come," with that pessimism up from MAY (49%).

Read more in a PDF version of the study by clicking here.

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