The Relationship Between Audio Personalities And Listeners Is Personal And Highly Effective For Advertisers
Click here to view a 10-minute video of the key findings.
Click here to download a PDF of the slides.
A series of new studies reveals the immense connection and emotional appeal of AM/FM radio personalities and podcast hosts, affording impressive results for advertisers.
Jacobs Media Techsurvey 2023: Personalities are the primary reason for listening to AM/FM radio
Fielded in January/February of 2023, 30,011 U.S. AM/FM radio listeners participated in the massive Jacobs Media Techsurvey. 60% of consumers say “DJs/hosts/shows” are the main reason they listen to AM/FM radio.
Personalities are the number three reason for listening ahead of “hearing favorite songs and music.” In 2014, Jacobs Media found music beat personalities 70% to 57% as the primary reason for listening. Now, personalities beat music 60% to 57% as the main reason for listening.
![](https://www.westwoodone.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Personalities-outpace-music.jpg)
The younger the AM/FM radio listener, the more AM/FM radio personalities are the main reason for listening
Jacobs Media found 65% of Gen Z (13–26-year-olds) and Millennials (27-42-year-olds) say personalities are the main reason they listen to AM/FM radio. 63% of 43-58 Gen Xers and 56% of 59-77 Boomers say personalities are the key driver for AM/FM radio listening.
![](https://www.westwoodone.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Personalities-younger-listeners.jpg)
AM/FM radio personalities provide a local feel as AM/FM radio’s local presence perception increases
In 2018, Jacobs Media reported 43% strongly agreed that “one of AM/FM radio’s primary advantages is its local feel.” 57% now cite “local feel” as one of AM/FM radio’s primary advantages. The proportion that say “local feel” is one of AM/FM radio’s primary advantages is up +33% since 2018 (43% to 57%).
![](https://www.westwoodone.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Personalities-local-edge.jpg)
MARU/Matchbox: Listeners feel connected to their favorite AM/FM radio DJs, personalities, and shows
A 1,571-person national study conducted by MARU/Matchbox in January 2020 reveals listeners develop loyal relationships with AM/FM radio personalities based on humor and trust.
![](https://www.westwoodone.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Personalities-meaningful-connections.jpg)
- Comedic relief: 90% strongly or somewhat agree that their favorite DJs make them laugh.
- Local feel: 73% say personalities understand what makes my city/town unique.
- Thought-provoking: 64% agree that they make them think.
- Strong loyalty: 64% of listeners would follow their favorite DJs to another station if they moved.
- Part of their lives: 52% indicate their daily routine wouldn’t be the same without hearing their favorite AM/FM radio show.
- Personality-read ads catch listener attention: 53% say they pay more attention when their favorite DJ reads an ad.
- Like family: 52% consider them to be like friends or family. AM/FM radio continues to prove itself as an important one-on-one form of communication.
- Trusted opinion leaders: Perhaps the most important finding for advertisers? Almost half of AM/FM radio listeners (46%) believe that their favorite personality or show are opinion leaders that they trust.
The results show a strong affinity and trust that marketers can use to their advantage in audio creative.
AM/FM radio personalities drive listener action
The MARU/Matchbox study found listeners speak to friends and family about things they hear on their favorite personality’s AM/FM radio show. Listeners engage with their favorite shows online, via social media, and by calling the radio station. 30% say they searched for a product or service recommended by the radio personality.
![](https://www.westwoodone.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Personalities-listener-action.jpg)
MAGNA Media Trials and Vox Media study: Podcast hosts are 5 times more influential than social media stars and 7 times more influential than TV/movie celebrities
Magna and Vox Media surveyed 2,028 weekly podcast listeners and asked, “Whose influence matters most?” A stunning 75% cited podcast hosts while only 15% named social media influencers or TV/movie celebrities (10%).
![](https://www.westwoodone.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Personalities-original-influencers.jpg)
Podcast hosts convey trust with authenticity and provide insights and knowledge; Social media influencers and TV/movie stars are just famous
Visual media can impart fame but offer little substance. Spoken word audio imparts information and provides new perspectives.
The MAGNA/Vox Media study found 90% said “listening to podcasts made (me) more open to new perspectives and topics.” 68% said they “have a deep connection with their favorite podcasters.”
![](https://www.westwoodone.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Personalities-intimate-connections.jpg)
Michael Barbaro, host of The Daily from the New York Times, observed on an October 2017 episode of Recode Media with Peter Kafka, “The human voice doesn’t lie … there is such a power in the lack of a visual distraction in just hearing the voice and hearing someone think out loud. I think that’s why we’re living in this golden age of audio and podcasting … I appreciate all the power that resides in the truth we tell in our voice.”
Eight in ten say podcast content is superior to social media content
The MAGNA/Vox Media study found 79% of weekly podcast listeners agreed podcast content was superior to that of social media.
![](https://www.westwoodone.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Personalities-trusted-info.jpg)
Interactive Advertising Bureau: Podcasting dominates social media in consumer concentration and attentiveness
The vastly superior quality of podcast content over social media translates into significantly greater consumer attentiveness. A landmark MARU/Matchbox study commissioned by the IAB in 2018 found far more consumers said they concentrated a lot when listening to podcasts (71%) than checking social media (44%). Media platforms earning the greatest consumer attention imparted information such as news, the weather, and podcasts.
![](https://www.westwoodone.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Personalities-consumer-concentration.jpg)
Podcast listeners perceive podcast hosts to be trusted friends
An MRI-Simmons April 2023 podcast study found 79% of listeners “felt close to podcast hosts.” The MAGNA/Vox study reported 80% of weekly podcast listeners indicate hosts “felt like a friend.”
Nielsen: Audio listeners feel ads delivered by audio personalities get more of their attention
All of this content value, trust, and attentiveness generates exceptional advertising results. A March 2022 Nielsen study of 1,000 Americans found 44% of AM/FM radio listeners agreed that “ads delivered by audio hosts get more of their attention than recorded commercials.” 56% of podcast listeners agreed with this statement.
![](https://www.westwoodone.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Personalities-host-read.jpg)
Key takeaways:
- Jacobs Media Techsurvey 2023: Personalities are the primary reason for listening to AM/FM radio
- The younger the AM/FM radio listener, the more AM/FM radio personalities are the main reason for listening
- AM/FM radio personalities provide a local feel as AM/FM radio’s local presence perception increases
- Listeners feel connected to their favorite AM/FM radio DJs, personalities, and shows
- AM/FM radio personalities and podcast hosts drive listener action
- MAGNA Media Trials and Vox Media study: Podcast hosts are 5 times more influential than social media stars and 7 times more influential than TV/movie celebrities
- Podcast hosts convey trust with authenticity and provide insights and knowledge; Social media influencers and TV/movie stars are just famous
- Eight in ten say podcast content is superior to social media content
- IAB: Podcasting dominates social media in consumer concentration and attentiveness
- Podcast listeners perceive podcast hosts to be trusted friends
- Nielsen: Audio listeners feel ads delivered by audio personalities get more of their attention
Download a PDF of the slides:
Pierre Bouvard is Chief Insights Officer of the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group®.
Contact the Insights team at CorpMarketing@westwoodone.com.