A few years ago, we put a spin on our Techsurvey mission. In the early years, the guiding principle behind these massive nationwide web surveys was to determine what radio listeners are doing when they’re not listening to the radio.
As satellite radio, streaming, smartphones, and social media proliferated, getting a handle on how audiences are informing and entertaining themselves has helped radio better understand how the media culture is changing.
But in recent years, we’ve introduced the corollary question: With all the new media options, why do consumers still choose to listen to broadcast radio? To determine what it is about AM and FM radio stations that keep consumers coming back for more, we created a list of possible reasons for listening, and asked respondents to tell us which ones were the main ones that drive tune-in.
The end results are presented in the form of a pyramid where the reasons at the bottom are the most important ones:
So, of course, favorite songs and DJs/personalities are the main attraction. And that’s followed closely by working with the radio on and as well as news/weather/traffic information.
But next in line is listening out of habit, designated by nearly half of respondents as a main reason they listen to broadcast radio.
Some people have asked me whether this is a bad thing – whether habit is tantamount to listening out of default or boredom. But I believe the correct interpretation is that millions of people have made radio a part of their daily routine. And if you’re thinking that this broad overview doesn’t provide a more granular look at jaded younger consumers – particularly Millennials – it turns out that 52% of them cite habit as a main reason.
Great morning shows, formats that continue to deliver, and stations that connect consumers to their communities are all part of the fabric that creates habit-forming usage. It has always been a plus for radio to be a part of the daily routine – that first cup of coffee, the drive to work, and the ability to listen to the radio in the workplace.
But like so many other aspects of media change, consumer habits are being disrupted – by technology and by emerging brands that are working hard to establish themselves as players in people’s routines.
The first example is once again from TS11 and it focuses on how people wake up in the morning – and the devices they use to rouse them. In this year’s survey, there’s a dead heat between mobile phones and clock radios – a bad sign for the morning talent reading this post. In almost every case, those who rely on a mobile phone to get them going in the morning are using ring tones and other sounds embedded in these gadgets. While some radio apps allow for consumers to set the alarm that will play the station stream at the designated time, they are in the minority. And even among stations that have an app with this capability, few promote this benefit.
The other disruptive force is an external threat – radio’s competitors creating powerful partnerships with major consumer brands. Case in point is the recent alliance between Starbucks and Spotify that will allow baristas and customers to create in-store playlists.
This collaboration connects the 10 million members of the Starbucks reward system, allowing them to impact playlists and to listen on their own after leaving their Starbucks store. Of course, this could easily be the car and then a workplace.
Is there anything more habit-forming than that morning cup of coffee? And now Starbucks and Spotify are attempting to build on each other’s brands to impact that sacred morning routine.
For radio, it’s a reminder that the loyalty and the habit-forming usage that was always assumed cannot be depended on in this changing environment.
Giving consumers a voice in the music stations play, supporting and marketing solid morning shows, and yes, building and promoting mobile apps with streaming alarm clock features are all part of the new strategy process that broadcasters need to undertake in order to adapt and adjust to these changing times. Some smart strategic partnerships with strong local brands wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
It’s time to re-evaluate everything.
And along the way, break some old habits.