“Share Of Ear” Study Is The Authoritative Examination Of TSL

Edison Research’s quarterly “Share of Ear” study is the authoritative examination of time spent with audio in America. Edison Research surveys 4,000 Americans annually to measure daily reach and time spent for all forms of audio. This week’s Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group® blog examines the Q2 2025 release.

• YouTube Music’s fantastical audience claims far exceed audience reality
• Marketers and media agencies significantly overestimate audience shares to Pandora/Spotify and massively underestimate AM/FM radio audiences
• To reach political segments with audio, all roads lead to AM/FM radio
• Adding AM/FM radio streaming to over-the-air AM/FM radio campaigns generates incremental reach and amplified frequency; One-third of those who stream AM/FM radio only listen to the stream
• You cannot check the box of an audio media plan that only contains digital audio as you’ll miss 70% of America
• To reach consumers on the path to purchase, look no further than AM/FM radio; With an 85% in-car share, AM/FM radio is the “queen of the road”

To read the full blog post by Pierre Bouvard, Chief Insights Officer, Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group®, visit: https://www.westwoodone.com/blog/2025/09/29/q2-2025-edison-share-of-ear-youtube-musics-fantastical-audience-claims-far-exceed-audience-reality/. To view a 14-minute video of the key findings, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b74IM2APQh0.