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Study Explores Streaming in the Car

Fresh perspectives on new and old car radio habits

Will the Internet monster consume terrestrial radio? It’s a question occupying the minds of many, especially in the radio business.

The answer — according to a recent study from knowDigital, “Challenges and Opportunities for In-Car Streaming Radio” — is probably no.

The company, a consumer and technology research firm, interviewed an unspecified number of regular Internet streamers (20 minutes in the previous week, any source), age 18–44.

The good news for radio broadcasters was that 90% of those “streamers” interviewed said they turned on the car radio. They were most favorably attuned to news, traffic, weather, sports and morning shows.

The bad news would be that for unexplained reasons some deviated at times from broadcast radio and went to the streaming option (despite having to surmount technical hurdles in obtaining a stream in the car). The main source for streaming? Smartphones. The study also examined consumer choices for radio console requirements in cars.

KnowDigital President Sam Milkman stated: “Many industry insiders think of streaming radio as primarily an at-work and at-home medium, but the majority of users we interviewed reported engaging in this activity in their cars. Furthermore, they look forward to services that will make it easier for them to do so.”

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