Exclusive: Jacobs Media Tech Survey VI Released

Tech Survey VI

In JACOBS MEDIA’s new study of more than 26,000 Rock radio listeners across 78 American radio stations, there is a revolution occurring that is affecting the way consumers entertain themselves, summarized by the three key findings from the study:

Smartphones: Tech Poll VI reveals that nearly three in 10 (29%) respondents have a smartphone, and of them, eight in 10are downloading apps. "It is significant that more that a majority of smartphone users have owned these devices for a year or less," notes JACOBS MEDIA Pres. FRED JACOBS. "Like BATMAN’s utility belt, consumers customize their smartphones with apps that entertain, inform and amuse." More than half of smartphone owners who enjoy apps have downloaded a radio-related app, whether it is an "aggregated app," like iHEARTRADIO, individually branded station apps, or apps for music services like PANDORA. 

Like Batman’s utility belt, consumers customize their smartphones with apps that entertain, inform, and amuse.

View the "Media Usage Pyramid" here.

Pandora: The Internet radio station is emerging as one of the big winners in Tech Poll VI. Among respondents who listen to streaming audio, nearly four in 10 (37%) access PANDORA -- and they love it. PANDORA has momentum, and the majority of those who listen agree it is better for music than most commercial radio stations. It is especially popular among fans of the Alternative and Triple A formats, as well as smartphone owners. "PANDORA’s rampant growth is underscored in this study," notes JACOBS MEDIA Digital Dir. TIM DAVIS. "Our study also notes that about a quarter of PANDORA listeners tune in on a mobile device signifying the importance of being wherever the audience is." 

View the "PANDORA" chart here.

Social Networks: Tech Poll VI illustrates how social media has permeated all demographics and radio formats. Overall, eight in 10 respondents have a profile on a site like FACEBOOK, MYSPACE, or LINKEDIN -- including the vast majority of Classic Rockers. Overall, this sector experienced a 58% jump from last year’s survey, led by FACEBOOK. Many of these radio listeners are newcomers to social media. "The category killer in the social media space is now FACEBOOK, experiencing rampant growth across the board," notes FRED JACOBS. "While MYSPACE is downtrending for the second straight year, usage of LINKEDIN has doubled while TWITTER has tripled." Of those connected to social media sites, more than one-third are fans, followers, and friends of one of the stations that participated in Tech Poll VI, an indication that consumers want to connect with their most-listened to broadcast stations. 

View the "Social Networking" graph here.

Other Key Findings

* Internet streaming continues to grow. More than four in 10 (43%) listen to streaming radio at least weekly, and local station streams lead the way.

* Two-thirds (66%) of respondents now own an iPOD-like device, and of them, six in 10 can now connect them to the vehicles they drive, signaling more competition for broadcast radio for in-car listening.

* CHRISTMAS music took a heavy toll on Rock radio last year. More than one-fifth of respondents tuned in CHRISTMAS music half the time -- or more -- this past DECEMBER. Classic Rock was the format most affected by holiday music programming.

* Satellite radio remains flat for the fourth consecutive year. And only 3% of current SIRIUS XM subscribers say they would discontinue the service if HOWARD STERN left the network. 

* The e-mail database is still a big X Factor for radio as six in ten respondents say that being "in the club" fosters a stronger relationship with their P1 station.

JACOBS MEDIA’s Technology Web Poll VI is the largest such study of its kind, fielded in mid-FEBRUARY/early MARCH 2010, among more than 26,000 respondents across 78 different Rock-formatted stations. It is the sixth annual poll in the series, conducted among Rock radio listeners who are predominantly members of station email clubs. Participating stations represent Mainstream/Active Rock, Classic Rock, Triple A, and Alternative outlets in markets around the U.S.

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