Edison research shows at-work radio listeners migrating to Internet-only alternatives

We previously mentioned Edison Research’s “What’s Working at Work” study of radio and audio in the workplace. Edision president Larry Rosin presented the study at the Radio Show today in Orlando. The team last took a look at how employees listen in 1997. Probably needless to say, but Internet radio plays a far more significant role 16 years later.

First, a third of the respondents said they listen to Internet radio at work. Almost three-quarters listen on a desktop or laptop computer, but more than half listen on a smartphone (obviously, some use both).

While more people still listen to AM/FM radio at work than Net-only radio, the total number of at-work broadcast listeners is apparently dropping as (some) migrate to online-only options. Half of at-work Internet radio listeners say their listening has replaced time they used to spend listening to broadcast radio (28% say it’s replaced time spent with their own music collection, and 22% of Internet radio listeners say it’s “new listening”).

High spot loads (and competition from Net radio’s traditionally lower commercial load) is likely playing a role in that migration from broadcast to Net-only radio, says Edison. Rosin commented, “New options that consumers have for audio have completely changed the notion of what constitutes an acceptable number of commercials.”

See slides and respondent interview videos from the “What’s Working at Work” presentation here.

Brad Hill