Salem Communications Corp. says we need to let go of the notion that “Christian Teaching and Talk” format listeners are elderly and home-bound.
CTT listeners are actually younger and more active than previously believed, according to the radio group owner.
Half of CTT station listeners are younger than age 55, according to a study conducted by Nielsen and Edison Research, says Salem. Fourteen percent of the listeners were 18–34, 18% were 35–49 and 18% were 50–54.
Perhaps most notable, according to Salem, is listening among the 18–34 audience is actually increasing. This study reported that 48% of these younger listeners are listening more in the last 12 months and 38% are listening the same amount.
Salem feels this data and other supporting data bodes well for its efforts to continue to encourage advertisers to reach this segment of the population that is often difficult to reach in other ways. “At a time when we see younger listeners leaving traditional radio and going more to their iPads, smartphones and computers, this format is growing a younger audience base that is seeking the kind of content we produce,” said Salem Vice President and Director of Spoken Word Format Phil Boyce.
This study reveals that while the digital footprint continues to grow, it has not detracted from over the air radio. The typical listener to Christian Teach and Talk radio listens an average of 6.2 hours a week to AM or FM radio, Salem says.
This is about double the 3.2 hours spent listening on a desktop or laptop computer. Listeners also report listening less than an hour on a tablet device, and less than an hour on a smartphone.
In addition to AM/FM, Salem stations are heard on their streams, station apps, ChristianRadio.com, Tune-In and iHeartRadio.
Nielsen conducted the study of 350 Salem stations across PPM and diary markets with Edison Research.
