New research from Australian Radio Network (ARN) is challenging the “traditional” view of drive time by looking at how audiences engage with radio.
The research, commissioned by ARN and conducted by Pollinate, for its Connected Insights Series, looks at how audience engage with content, and use radio and other media as transition points in their day.
It found that audience experience a strong emotional connection with radio which they use to help energise them in the morning, during midday and on the commute home. The research challenges conventional wisdom around drive time in particular, which was viewed traditionally as a “winding down” time for audiences.
It also found that audiences use several media channels to help propel them through the day including Facebook, reality TV, music streaming and TV steaming.
Radio is used as an uplifter, with audience noting a strong emotional connection of presenters through the day, with participants relating to them as “super friends” or people who are more entertaining and interesting than their actual friends.
ARN CEO Tony Kendall the research is designed to help the station better understand its audience across all platforms, as it looks to build out its offering beyond radio as a specific platform.
“Radio is much more than audio and in the past five years it’s exploded across multiple platforms, particularly with social, and understanding how audiences engage in this dynamic environment helps us to deepen the relationship we have with that audience,” Kendall says.
“These findings help ARN further develop out content offering as we look to increase the time our audiences spend with us across all platforms. By better understanding what uplifts audiences, and when and why audiences are looking for content, we can curate our content and deliver audiences the content they demand through multiple touchpoints and align advertiser solutions.”
The findings are the first release from ARN's Connected Insights Series, with further releases expected later this year. ARN and Pollinate are currently in market presenting these findings to key clients and agencies.
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