While other audio formats such as music streaming or podcasts have experienced a steady increase in popularity, radio is considered as an outdated or old format of audio consumption. However, in reality, radio has been a consistently consumed form of audio entertainment. In 2021, 70 percent of respondents to a survey in the United Kingdom stated that they
compared to a mere five percent who said that they listened to podcasts. While radio in general has enjoyed a relatively stable audience reach, online radio has become increasingly popular with the rise of the internet and smartphones. This is also reflected in the
in the United Kingdom, which has increased year by year, surpassing 65 percent in 2020. A total of 12 percent of respondents even stated that they had listened to the
, while only seven percent did so less frequently.
Who listens to the radio digitally?
The audience of digital radio is ambiguous since radio in general is preferred by older generations, while digital content is usually enjoyed by younger age groups. In 2021, 85 percent of people in the UK aged
55 years and older said that they listened to live radio while only 34 percent of 15- to 24-year-olds stated that they tuned in. Considering online radio consumption, however, younger generations seem to be the target audience. Especially
among the age groups of 25 to 34 and 35- to 44-year-olds, radio is often consumed through a website or app. Among these groups, 15 percent of respondents used digital forms to consume radio entertainment while this number diminished to just eight percent among 65- to 74-year-olds. This is also reflected by the
devices the different generations use to tune in. While respondents aged 55 years and older used both, analog and digital radio, younger age groups also used the digital radio as well as tablets, smartphones, and computers. Overall, digital radio is on the rise, especially among younger generations for who digital radio is more accessible than analog radio. While radio in all forms is generally popular among older age groups, they are also increasingly using online radio to enjoy their radio entertainment.
Digital audio advertising
Advertisers have long realized that radio might not be the flashiest audio format but a steady bet for having a consistent audience. In 2021, commercial digital radio reached 71.3 million pounds in revenue, compared to 129.5 million in
branded content revenue on the radio in general. While the revenue of branded content has been fairly steady over the years, digital radio revenue has risen by over 20 million pounds from 2019 to 2020. Overall,
audio advertising spending has increased over the years, reaching a total of 103.7 million pounds in the UK in 2020. At the same time, with the ever-growing number of streaming service users,
streaming is a very popular target for advertisements, while podcasts are also becoming an increasingly attractive platform for advertisers. In future, it will be interesting to see whether radio will remain a stable force in the audio market and whether radio will move even more towards digital consumption or remain a mostly analog format.
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