According to the Consumer Technology Association, the reach of FM/AM radio into American homes is actually deeper today than when the music of Elvis or The Beatles were pouring out of the speakers.
In a recent Inside Radio:
Just how many radio receivers exist nowadays in the marketplace? The number should no doubt surprise even the most pessimistic of observers. According to the Consumer Technology Association, the reach of FM/AM radio into American homes is actually deeper today than when the music of Elvis or The Beatles were pouring out of the speakers.
CTA reports 95% of U.S. households have at least one broadcast radio receiver. That’s actually higher than during the 1950s and ‘60s. In fact, it wasn’t until 1971 when radio’s household penetration rate first hit the 95% level. It continued to climb during that decade, hitting a peak of 98% in 1978. That penetration level held steady through 2014 when the first decline in four decades was logged.
CTA says radio’s household penetration level slipped to 96% in 2013 and then ticked down to 95% in 2015. The data shows that high level held firm in 2016.
“Anything over 90% is remarkable,” CTA chief economist Shawn DuBravac says. “When it comes to consumer electronics products there are only a few products that have ever seen ownership rates in excess of 90%.” Television is one of the few other devices that have such stratospheric ownership levels.
“It makes sense that those numbers would be high,” National Association of Broadcasters chief technology officer Sam Matheny says. “Radio is just an essential, enjoyable part of people’s lives and so it makes sense to me that many households have a radio and it speaks to the power of the medium overall.”
For the full article:
Inside Radio
July 18th, 2016
