This is one in a series of occasional commentaries produced through the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. The author is the director of communications at Aimpoint Research, a global research firm that specializes in agri-food.
Market research and competitive intelligence gathering help an organization better understand its potential customers and adapt products and services to their needs. However, the value of also utilizing these tools on existing customers cannot be understated. People change, their needs change, and your customers can be lured away by competition.
For many years, the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) has conducted biennial research on current ag broadcasting listeners to keep a pulse on perceptions and listening habits. The insights discovered help NAFB members support sales and marketing efforts and provide organizational leaders additional data as they make strategic programming decisions.
Aimpoint Research, a strategic intelligence firm specializing in agri-food, and NAFB’s market research partner, launched the 2023 Listenership Research Study in April and included a series of in-depth interviews as well as a nationwide, telephonic survey of current farm-radio listeners.
While analysis is still ongoing through year’s end, the results so far have been a rich collection of insights that can be especially valuable in crafting stories about the role farm broadcasting plays in the day-to-day work of its farmer and rancher listeners.
PERCEPTIONS & LISTENING HABITS
“Farm broadcasters are trusted friends. I truly believe they want to tell you the true story. The right story. Without any bias.” — South Dakota farmer
Farm broadcasters consistently rate higher among listeners in credibility, accuracy and timeliness of information provided compared to national consumer media outlets, and initial results show that this trend continues to hold in 2023.
Results indicate current listeners continue to consume a wide variety of mediums to obtain farm news, including broadcast radio, print publications, websites, television, social media, YouTube, podcasts and streaming services. Twenty-seven percent of listeners report listening to streaming radio live or on-demand, and 52 percent have listened to an ag-related podcast at some time.
When they tune in to farm broadcast programming on AM/FM radio, 60 percent of listeners are doing so while driving in a passenger vehicle, 23 percent in agricultural equipment (such as a combine or tractor) and 16 percent while at home or in their farm shops.
CONTENT
For farm broadcast programming specifically, listeners tune in and receive market/price reports, weather, local farm news, commentary and world/trade news as the top five content types. These results are consistent from previous years’ research results and indicate [that] listeners continue to find value in these topical areas.
“Sometimes guys like me are working alone in the shop or you’re in the tractor wondering if you’re the only one having the problems you’re having or facing the challenges you’re facing. Then, you tune in and you hear other people like you are having the same problems, and it gives me comfort knowing I’m not alone. They have advice, and information that helps.” — Ohio farmer
For more information, contact NAFB at [email protected]. To learn more about Aimpoint Research, visit www.aimpointresearch.com.
