October 9, 2019

Nielsen’s Q2 2019 Total Audience Report: Audio Consumption Stronger Than Ever

Nielsen released its Total Audience Report for Q2 2019, showing that the audio universe continues to strengthen. In an over-saturated environment of media choices for consumers, audio remains among the most effective and cost-efficient ways to connect with audiences at scale. And as consumers spend more time streaming their audio content, the opportunity for targeted messaging grows.

Highlights from the Report:

1. Adults 18+ increased their overall media consumption by one hour to over 12 hours per day

Smartphones drove overall increase in time spent with media
Smartphones now reach 84% of A18+, up from 78%

2. Radio continues as the #1 reach medium with 92% of Adults 18+ listening weekly

Reach of Live and Time Shifted TV, DVD/Blu Ray, and Video Game Consoles is steadily declining by 1-3% across key demographics

Q2 2019 Weekly Reach % of Users Among U.S. Population

	Radio	Live & Time Shifted TV	Streaming Audio on Smartphone
A18+	92%	85%	60%
A18-34	90%	73%	77%
A18-49	92%	79%	72%
A25-54	93%	85%	68%
A50-64	94%	92%	52%
Hispanic 18+	96%	85%	61%
Black 18+	92%	88%	64%

3. Radio is the preferred platform for Audio

Adults 18+ spend over 15 hours weekly consuming Audio content
Most Audio is consumed via Radio at over 13 hours per week

4. Streaming Audio is the fastest growing Smartphone segment

Streaming Audio on Smartphones now reaches 60% of A18+, the highest increase vs. 2018 (up from 43%)
Streaming Audio’s highest reaching demographic is A18-34 at 77%
Streaming Audio’s fastest growing demographic is A65+, increasing its reach by 65%

Key Takeaways for Marketers:

Consider shifting a portion of your ad spend to radio for scale and efficiency
Target listeners on Smartphones via digital extension of radio campaigns
Millennials and Baby Boomers, both highly attractive mass segments, can be reached at scale
Customize Audio messaging to best connect with specific demographics