Your browser is out-of-date!

Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now

×

Jacobs Media 7th Public Radio Survey Proves Interesting

The majority of the results area about programming, but there were a few technical questions and results worth discussing

By Doug Irwin

PITTSBURGH, Pa.�Jacobs Media has published results of their7th Annual Public Radio Tech Survey (seen in itsentirety here).� The majority of the results area about programming, but there were a few technical questions and results worth discussing.�

In describing their methodology, Jacobs points out the following: �This is a Web survey and does not represent all public radio listeners or each station�s total audience.�

With that in mind, let�s look at some of the results.� It turns out about 20% of public radio usage is now via digital sources:

  • � � � � �44% of respondents listen to public radio (AM/FM) in the car
  • �� � � �34% of respondents listen to public radio (AM/FM) at work, in school, or at home
  • �� � ��7% listen via streaming on a computer
  • � � � ��5% listen to streaming via a mobile platform
  • � � � ��4%, NPR apps
  • � � � ��3%, podcasting
  • � � � ��3%, �other�

What about Millenials (the so-called Gen Y)?� What are their listening habits?

  • � � � ��54% of respondents listen to public radio (AM/FM)in the car
  • � � � ��13% of respondents listen to public radio (AM/FM) at work, in school, or at home
  • � � � ��10% listen via streaming on a computer
  • � � � ��8% listen to streaming via a mobile platform
  • � � � ��6%, NPR apps
  • � � � ��7%, podcasting
  • � � � ��2%, �other�

�

Finally, for those in the market for a new car over the next year, what features are important?�

  • � � � ��89% said AM/FM radio
  • � � � ��60% said an �aux� connector for use with a mobile device
  • � � � ��53% said Bluetooth
  • � � � ��37% said CD player
  • � � � ��35% said GPS
  • � � � ��17% said wireless internet connectivity
  • � � � ��13% said satellite radio
  • � � � ��12% said HD radio
  • � � � ��11% said Info-tainment system (i.e., Ford Sync)
  • � � ��� ��7% said DVD player
  • � � � ��4% said harddrive for media storage

�

I think the biggest surprise is that HD came out on top of �Info-tainment� and just behind satellite radio.� Perhaps that isn�t such a surprise after all, considering some of the programming being done by public stations, for their HD radio stations. ��

Close