Christian radio listeners are among the heaviest listeners in cars and trucks.
So says radio industry researcher Jacobs Media as part of its TechSurvey8 results.
Fans of this format “love their stations,” says company president Fred Jacobs.
Overall six in 10 respondents say the lion’s share of over-the-air radio use takes place in the vehicle. While these listeners are somewhat less inclined to connect a smartphone or MP3 player to the dash than other format listeners, automakers’ migration to a large infotainment screen in the dash “may be a caution sign on the media highway,” according to Jacobs Media.
As with other formats, radio faces the challenge of getting listeners to start their day with the medium. Only 36% of Christian fans start their day with over-the-air radio — compared to 43% for the TechSuvey8 average. Turning on the TV, checking email and Facebook are all popular diversions in morning drive.
While less likely than average to own a smartphone, those in the Christian radio community who do pack an iPhone, Android, or BlackBerry are very app-centric. They are more apt to have downloaded a radio app, and more than any other format group, they access apps by the individual stations that made up this sample.
More than 57,000 listeners took part in the survey; nearly 3,200 were self-described Christian fans. Listeners to both the K-LOVE and Air 1 radio networks dominated the Christian sample, according to Jacobs Media.
