Mobile devices have moved ahead of traditional AM/FM radio receivers as the leading device for in-car audio among Americans ages 13 to 34, according to new Share of Ear data from Edison Research at SSRS.
The latest figures show mobile devices accounting for 46% of daily in-car audio listening time among the demographic, compared with 43% for AM/FM radio receivers. Edison says that represents a three-point reversal from what was once a 47-point advantage for radio receivers.
The finding is important for broadcasters because it measures the device being used, not necessarily the source of the audio. Some of the 46% attributed to mobile devices consists of streams from AM/FM stations.
The latest data also does not mean radio has lost its position as a major source of audio. Edison has separately found that AM/FM remains the dominant source of ad-supported in-car audio among 13-to-34-year-olds.
For radio operators, the distinction reinforces the importance of making station streams, apps and other digital access points easy to find and use, particularly as younger consumers increasingly use smartphones as their primary audio device in the car. (SSRS)
Source: Edison Research