Smartphone owners are highly interested in the NextRadio FM smartphone app — they have positive initial impressions, indicating they are likely to download it, use it and listen to local FM stations “more than they currently do.”
That’s according to the findings of a new study from Coleman Insights. The NAB-funded study is based on 800 online interviews with 18–49-year-old smartphone owners after they watched a video explaining NextRadio’s features.
The sample employed quotas to ensure that it appropriately represents the national population in terms of age, gender, ethnicity and geography and so that interviewing was split roughly equally between smartphone owners with unlimited data plans and those with metered or prepaid plans.
Key findings include:
● 88% had a positive reaction to NextRadio, including 56% who described their initial reaction as “very positive”
● 45% said they “definitely would” use NextRadio if it was installed on their smartphones; another 43% said they “probably would” use the app
● 80% said they “probably would” or “definitely would” download NextRadio if the app was not already installed on their smartphones
● 63% say they would listen to local FM radio more if they had NextRadio
● 73% of those with metered or prepaid data plans acknowledge that such plans limited their consumption of audio entertainment on their smartphones
● Low battery and data plan usage were evaluated as the most positive of NextRadio’s benefits
● 92% “strongly agree” or “agree” with the statement, “The NextRadio app is really cool”
“These findings line up nicely with the anecdotal evidence we’re seeing since NextRadio was launched,” said Emmis Communications Founder/Chairman/CEO Jeff Smulyan. “People want free, local FM radio on their smartphones and NextRadio gives them exactly what they want.”
Coleman Insights and knowDigital will share additional findings from the study in private briefings with the consortium of radio broadcasters supporting NextRadio’s launch in the coming weeks.
