If I only had a nickel for every local small business owner who has told me that Pandora has been siphoning listeners away from Fayetteville radio. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Local radio, it turns out, reaches significantly more adult consumers than any other medium. More than TV. More than newspaper. And more than Pandora and Spotify combined.
What may come as a big shock to Fayetteville business owners is Pandora's popularity, actually, is cratering among consumers.
According to information from Edison Research, beginning in the third quarter of 2016, Pandora's share of time spent listening to audio, has fallen by 25% while radio share of listening had held constant.
What some business owners might find even more surprising is that advertising on Fayetteville radio reaches significantly more millennials than streaming audio sites like Pandora or Spotify.
In a recent article for Quartz, a newsletter that advises business leaders, Amy X. Wang asks, "Why the gloom? Radio survived the tape, CD, and iPod. In the age of Spotify, radio is more alive than ever."
James Grafstrom agrees. He operates Fayetteville's Crown Complex for his company, Spectra Venue Management. Since 2013, Mr. Graftsrom has depended on local radio to build and maintain the Crown's brand.
Bottom Line: People Listen To Fayetteville Radio
“Although the media landscape has changed, no matter how you look at it,” he says, “radio is still in the forefront. People are in their cars every day whether they are going to work or coming home. During that time, they are listening to Fayetteville radio. They might be listening to a rock station; a pop station; a rap station; a talk station; or a county station. But the bottom line is they are listening.”
“They might not have a chance to look at the newspaper that day, or check Facebook,” Mr. Grafstrom continues, “but because they are captive in their cars, we can reach them with our message, even if it just for 15 or 30 seconds. I see this as a real value to keep The Crown Complex top-of-mind in our community.”
The Lumbee River Electric Membership Corporation also understands the strength of advertising on Fayetteville radio. The company, which provides electricity to more than 250,000 residents of Cumberland, Robeson, Hoke, and Scotland counties, has been advertising on radio non-stop for the past 16 years.
Advertising On Fayetteville Radio Builds Local Identity
According to Walther White, Lumbee River's Vice President of Corporate Communications, "It is important to us that our membership sees us participating in their lives by investing in the communities where we all live. Radio advertising allows us to speak in this broader concept.”
“Fayetteville radio stations are the best partners for this approach, “Mr. White adds. “The local on-air personalities are like gods in our community. They have earned the trust and reflect the values of their listeners.”
“We can’t depend on options like Pandora, Spotify or social media to help with these sorts of endeavors,” he continues, “because they just don’t have the local presence we need to be successful."
We Should Pay More Attention To Radio Advertising
In an article in Forbes, media expert Doug Schoen writes, "You wouldn’t know it from all the media coverage focused on streaming video and streaming music, but recent Nielsen data shows radio actually has the most reach among American media consumers. 93% of adults listen to the radio each week as compared to 87% who watch TV, a substantive difference."
Mr. Schoen concludes, "It’s quite clear that we should all be paying more attention to radio, its reach and potential to help our businesses. It’s doing the job with expert efficiency.”
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