Online “radio” services continue to duke it out over which has the best and most relevant reach — and how to quantify that.
Even as it takes part in that race, Clear Channel wants everyone to know that broadcast radio continues to represent the great majority of its listening.
The company today put out word that its iHeartRadio platform notched 10 million registered users in the eight months since its relaunch at last year’s big festival in Las Vegas — “faster than nearly all other entertainment platforms, including Pandora, Facebook, Spotify and Instagram.” It adds that because registration isn’t required except for the Custom Station feature, the numbers don’t include listeners to live broadcast stations. It also said that its iHeartRadio network had some 45 million “monthly digital uniques” in April.
The company said this is the first time it has released such figures.
The iHeartRadio platform competes for market attention in particular with buzz-friendly Pandora, generally seen as the heavyweight in that marketplace.
Clear Channel seemed to take pains in this announcement to remind readers that it is still a massive broadcast company too. It says it considers iHeartRadio to be “incremental listening,” and states that “broadcast stations continue to dominate listenership, accounting for 98% of Clear Channel’s overall listening.”
The main overall pitch: “With 237 million monthly listeners in the U.S., Clear Channel Media and Entertainment has the largest reach of any radio or television outlet in America.”
