The Differences In Platform Preferences By Market Size

The latest RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Survey shows that U.S. radio stations are gradually shifting their social media strategies, with Facebook use rebounding modestly while activity on X (formerly Twitter) continues to decline.

After sharp drop-offs in X use last year, this year’s survey found fewer stations reporting constant engagement on the platform. Meanwhile, Facebook usage ticked upward by 1.6 percentage points overall, with large-market stations leading the increase – up 8.2 points compared to 2024.

Commercial stations saw a 4.5% rise in Facebook activity after a 5% decline last year, while non-commercial stations dropped 2.8%. Despite minor fluctuations, nearly all radio stations maintain a Facebook page, with only small-market outlets showing a slight decline.

The survey also highlighted differences in platform preferences by market size. Major-market stations were far more likely to use YouTube, while medium markets split usage evenly between TikTok and Threads. Smaller markets reported the most enthusiasm for Snapchat.

Non-commercial broadcasters were more active than their commercial counterparts across nearly every platform – except Snapchat – and were notably more present on BlueSky, reflecting public media guidance in 2024 discouraging use of X. The RTDNA/Newhouse Survey was conducted in the fourth quarter of 2024 and included 1,918 television stations and a random sample of 4,763 radio stations nationwide.