Bouvard Addresses Myths About AM/FM

Cumulus Media | Westwood One’s Audio Active Group is challenging widespread misconceptions about AM/FM radio with new findings from Nielsen, Edison Research, and LeadsRx. In his latest blog post, Chief Insights Officer Pierre Bouvard outlined eight common myths held by agencies and marketers and contrasted them with audience data.

One of the largest disconnects: advertisers believe only 40% of Americans listen to AM/FM radio weekly, when Nielsen data shows actual reach is 87%. Similarly, many assume younger audiences have moved on, but 18-34 remains radio’s largest listening demographic.

Other myths addressed include the belief that Pandora and Spotify hold a greater audience share than radio. Edison Research’s “Share of Ear” report shows AM/FM radio’s ad-supported audience is 14 times larger than both services combined. In the car, AM/FM still dominates with 85% of ad-supported audio share.

The blog also highlights the role of AM/FM in boosting campaign reach. Nielsen Media Impact data finds that shifting just 10% of a media plan from digital or TV to AM/FM can increase reach by 18%. For light TV viewers, radio generates a 22-point incremental lift, nearly double digital and four times connected TV.

On return on investment, advertisers often rank AM/FM last in effectiveness. Nielsen’s benchmarks tell a different story: radio delivers $2.14 in ROI for every dollar spent in the U.S., ranking fourth among media. Attribution studies from LeadsRx further show AM/FM campaigns lift website traffic by an average of 14%.

“Why do people think that nobody listens to radio anymore?” asked Deloitte’s Duncan Stewart, quoted in the blog. “Because there is a narrative that new media kills old media, so nobody bothers to look at evidence that doesn’t fit the narrative.”

The blog concludes that, despite persistent myths, AM/FM remains America’s most widely used mass-reach medium and a critical driver of campaign reach and ROI. Read the full blog post here.