Multiple studies show that audiences for music radio stations decrease significantly during commercial breaks, with an average drop of 42%. A separate study found that 88% of the audience is retained after one commercial, but less than two-thirds remain after four commercials, and less than half stay after six or more commercials. In contrast, sports radio elicits a more engaged and attentive audience that does not decrease as much during commercials as music formats. Listeners may also switch stations during commercial breaks to avoid them, highlighting the importance of including multiple radio stations in a marketing campaign to ensure impressions and responses.

1. MULTIPLE STUDIES SHOW THAT AUDIENCE ERODES DURING
COMMERCIAL PODS ON MUSIC STATIONS
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA RADIO MARKET

2. “THE MOMENT YOU TURN ON COMMERCIALS, YOU
HAVE AUDIENCE FALL OFF. DEPENDING ON YOUR
FORMAT AND MARKET. IT’S A MINIMUM OF 25%
AND CAN GO OVER 50%. THE AVERAGE IS
SOMEWHERE AROUND 42%....”
Dr. Ed Cohen
Vice President Research Policy & Communication,
Arbitron, Inc.
PPM Breakfast, Phoenix, AZ, May 21, 2009
Programming Segment

3. A STUDY CONDUCTED BY NAVIGAUGE USING PASSIVE
IN-CAR MONITORING TECHNOLOGY FOUND THAT:
• ABOUT 88% OF THE AUDIENCE THAT TUNED IN PRIOR TO THE START
OF A COMMERCIAL BREAK WAS RETAINED THROUGH A SINGLE-
COMMERCIAL BREAK.
• ABOUT 80% WAS STILL TUNED IN AFTER THE SECOND COMMERCIAL
IN BREAKS OF 4 COMMERCIALS OR FEWER.
• LESS THAN TWO-THIRDS OF THE QUALIFIED AUDIENCE THAT TUNED
IN PRIOR TO THE START OF A COMMERCIAL BREAK WAS RETAINED
AFTER FOUR COMMERCIALS – REGARDLESS OF THEIR LENGTH.
• LESS THAN HALF OF THE AUDIENCE WAS RETAINED WHEN SIX OR
MORE COMMERCIALS RUN.
Source: Study of Commercial Break Structure, Navigauge, 2005

4. SPORTS RADIO LISTENERS ARE MORE ENGAGED
“Radio makes its revenue from advertising, not listeners. But
the kind of listening that sports radio elicits is the most
compelling to advertisers. Those formats have an attentive
audience. There’s higher time-spent-listening as well. And
they don’t engender the turnover at commercial breaks that
you get from music formats.”
Jen Walz,
Media investment Supervisor
Campbell Mithun Advertising’s Compass Point Media.
“With sports comes passion. There’s a new storyline every
day. Sometimes it changes hourly. From a programming
standpoint, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.”
Dan Seeman
Vice President and Market Manager
Hubbard Radio

5. DUPLICATION IN THE MARKET
WHY LISTEN TO THE COMMERCIAL BLOCK WHEN THERE
IS A SIMILAR STATION TO SWITCH TO?

6. TO INSURE A RESPONSE, AND ACTUAL IMPRESSSIONS,
INCLUDE 1010XL INTO YOUR MARKETING MIX
• STRONGEST MALE AUDIENCE IN JACKSONVILLE
• LIVE AND LOCAL
• EDUCATED AND ENGAGED LISTENING AUDIENCE
• THREE OF TEN MEN ARE SINGLE, AND SIX OF TEN MEN PLAY AN
INFLUENTIAL ROLE IN THE BIG-TICKET ITEM BUYING PROCESS.
THEY ARE EITHER THE SOLE OR JOINT DECISION MAKERS IN THE
PURCHASE OF ITEMS LIKE HOMES, CARS, AND MAJOR APPLIANCES.
• SEVEN OF TEN WOMEN SAY THAT A RECOMMENDATION FROM A
SPOUSE OR PARTNER IS A DECIDING FACTOR WHEN MAKING
MAJOR PURCHASES.
(Marketing to Men radio survey, Jacobs Media 2011)