The Infinite Dial 2021
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
BLOCK ISLAND, RI — Applause to Edison Research for their “Infinite Dial” series, “the longest-running survey of digital media consumer behavior in America…tracking mobile behaviors, internet audio, podcasting, social media, smart speakers, and more.” “More” includes radio.
Here’s the whole thing: http://www.edisonresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/The-Infinite-Dial-2021.pdf
As previous reports have, this national telephone survey of 1,507 Persons 12+ is a useful snapshot of what’s changing, and what isn’t-much.
Radio, Still
Though we’ve spent less time in-car for the last year, AM/FM remains the top audio platform there, by 75% of 18+ surveyed who listened “in last month” (down from 81% in 2020 and 2019).
Rankings of the next 5 in-car audio sources remain unchanged, and changes-to-each are unsurprising:
- Owned digital music (45% 2019 – 48% 2020 – 48% 2021)
- CD player (43% – 41% – 35%)
- Online audio (28% – 33% – 33%)
- Podcasts (26% – 28% – 30%)
- SiriusXM (22% – 24% – 21%)
Other Media Use Plateaus:
- Smartphone Ownership: 88% have one (85% last year).
- Tablet Ownership: 51% (from 53%)
- Internet-connected Watch Ownership: 18% (17%)
- Audiobook Listening: 46% (45%)
- Social Media Usage: 82% (80%)
Social Media
Brand Usage: Facebook is still #1, then:
- Snapchat
And the report breaks-down who-uses-which platform and-how-often.
On-Demand and Online
Podcasting: Steady growth continues, and the report slices-N-dices age, ethnicity, gender, and other usage data. Wide-angle shot, P12 listening:
- Monthly: 41% (37% a year ago)
- Weekly: 28% (24%)
Online Audio Listening (P12+):
- Monthly 68% (flat from 2020)
- Weekly 62%, an all-time high (60%)
- Weekly TSL 16 hours 14 minutes (15:12)
Pandora is still #1.
- Spotify
- iHeartRadio
- Apple Music
- Amazon Music, which you-know-who plays…
Take THIS to the bank.
My client stations – in all market sizes — are making money selling sponsors’ pre-rolls on Alexa.
So – while we’ve spent so-much-less time in-car, and so-much-more time in-home, where AM/FM receivers are less-common now – I was real interested to learn:
- 33% surveyed – representing some 94 million in the USA – own a smart speaker.
- Of those working from home: 49%
- Number of smart speakers in household: 2.3 (up from 2.2 in 2020 – 2.0 in 2019 – 1.7 in 2018).
Consultant surmise: Like e-commerce and telecommuting, smart speaker use is a trend already-in-motion accelerated by the pandemic. It has never been more important that listeners know you’re there.
Holland Cooke is the author of the E-book “Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” available from Talkers books (click the banner on this page). He is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. And HC hosts “The Big Picture” TV show Friday nights at 7ET on RT America. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke
Category: Analysis
