I find the annual Techsurvey from consulting firm Jacobs Media to be a source of useful insights into how radio listeners behave. We often cite its results in the pages of Radio World and in our post-NAB Show webinars. Now stations can sign up to take part in the next one.
Jacobs believes it will be “the largest survey about technology ever conducted for radio.” Some 220 stations in North America, representing 13 formats, participated last time, helping collect data from 41,000 respondents. Research company NuVoodoo handles the “back-end” work including data processing.
Jacobs likes to summarize important results in graphics that use a pyramid; the most recent survey added a Brand Platform Pyramid, shown, indicating how brands like Twitter and YouTube are being used by their listeners. It is a visual approach that I particularly like.
Areas the company plans to dig into in the next survey include how generations affect behaviors and media choices, especially millennials and their siblings Generation Z; identifying how radio fits into the list of options that listeners have for consuming media; the growth of podcasting; and the fast-evolving role of the connected car.
Stations can participate with no fee; with that option, you can attend a results webinar and receive the national data. There’s also a paid option if you want to also add an in-depth look at your unique audience, including your own station’s “Media Usage Pyramid.” Fee is based on market size.
This year’s study will launch in January. Stations have until Jan. 11 to sign up. The firm conducts similar separate surveys for public radio and Christian radio.
