During the Spring of this year, 243,400 adult radio-listeners spent 1.96 hours per day listening to their favorite Fayetteville stations, according to Nielsen. Although local consumers had spent fewer minutes listening at the onset of the pandemic, the current time tuned-in remains little change compared to a year ago.
Some advertising experts had predicted that as consumers spent more time at home because of COVID-19 concerns, the hours devoted to radio listening would decrease. That, however, was not the case.
In Spring of 2019, according to Nielsen, 32.1% of radio listening occurred at home. During July of this year, in-home listening jumped to 41%. Despite the reduction in out-of-home activities, though, consumers still spent the exact amount of time listening to Fayetteville radio.
Overall, the pandemic has inflicted little change on the audio advertising landscape. A study by Edison Research indicates that among all options, local radio's 'share of ear' remains consistent.
During the second quarter of 2019, adult consumers spent 78% of their time with ad-supported audio listening to AM/FM radio. No other medium came close.
During the same quarter this year, consumers devoted 76% of their time with local radio. Podcasts were a distant second at 9%.
Beginning in 1939, when WFNC became the first local station in Cumberland and Robeson County, small business owners have depended on Fayetteville radio to market their goods and services through recessions, depressions, and natural disasters. All the research indicates that AM/FM radio is as dependable now as it was then.