RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC & PHILADELPHIA, PA, July 31, 2014 – Smartphone owners are highly interested in NextRadio®, the new app that allows consumers to listen to local radio stations using the FM chips already installed in their phones, according to a new national study released today by media research firm Coleman Insights® and its knowDigital® division. These consumers have positive initial impressions of the app, indicate that they are highly likely to download and use it and believe it will cause them to listen to local FM radio stations more than they currently do.
The study was supported by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and completed in cooperation with Emmis Communications (Nasdaq: EMMS), which developed NextRadio and has spearheaded the radio industry’s support for its rollout. It is based on 801 online interviews with 18- to 49-year-old smartphone owners who viewed a 90-second video explaining NextRadio’s capabilities and benefits. (The video is viewable at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyEhCHZyw1A.) The sample employed quotas to ensure that it appropriately represents the national population in terms of age, gender, ethnicity and geography and so that interviewing was split roughly equally between smartphone owners with unlimited data plans and those with metered or pre-paid plans.
Among the study’s key findings are:
- 88% had a positive reaction to NextRadio, including 56% who described their initial reaction as “very positive”
- 45% said they “definitely would” use NextRadio if it as installed on their smartphones; another 43% said they “probably would” use the app
- 80% said they “probably would” or “definitely would” download NextRadio if the app was not already installed on their smartphones
- 63% say they would listen to local FM radio more if they had NextRadio
- 73% of those with metered or pre-paid data plans acknowledge that such plans limited their consumption of audio entertainment on their smartphones
- Low battery and data plan usage were evaluated as the most positive of NextRadio’s benefits
- 92% “strongly agree” or “agree” with the statement, “The NextRadio app is really cool”
“These findings line up nicely with the anecdotal evidence we’re seeing since NextRadio was launched,” said Emmis Communications founder, chairman and chief executive officer Jeff Smulyan. “People want free, local FM radio on their smartphones and NextRadio gives them exactly what they want.”
“The qualitative research we released earlier this month made it clear that consumers liked NextRadio, but I must admit that how positive they reacted in the quantitative research exceeded my expectations,” commented Warren Kurtzman, president and chief operating officer of Coleman Insights. “Results like these bode very well for NextRadio’s potential to impact the consumption of local FM radio.”
A streaming video presentation and a written summary of the study’s findings are available at www.ColemanInsights.com/NextRadio. Furthermore, Coleman Insights and knowDigital will share additional findings from the study in private briefings with the consortium of radio broadcasters supporting NextRadio’s launch in the coming weeks and months.
About Coleman Insights
Coleman Insights, headquartered in Research Triangle Park, NC, with offices in Philadelphia and Hamburg, Germany, is a firm that has helped media properties build strong brands and develop great content since 1978. Its clients include hundreds of media properties in North America, South America, Europe and Asia, including those owned by CBS Corporation, Sony Corporation, Emmis Communications, The Walt Disney Company, Lincoln Financial Media, Clear Channel Media + Entertainment, EMI, Radio One, Warner Music Group, Cox Media Group, American Public Media, Bell Media, Bonneville International Corporation, Vivendi SA, Hubbard Radio, Grupo Radio Centro, Newcap Radio, Lagardère International, Beasley Broadcast Group, Grupo Prisa, Mid-West Family Broadcast Group, Salem Communications, The Mondadori Group, Connoisseur Media, Corporación Radial del Perú, SBS Broadcasting, Townsquare Media and Alpha Media. Additional information about Coleman Insights is available at www.ColemanInsights.com.
About knowDigital
knowDigital, based in Lafayette Hill, PA, provides brand research for digital media. As a division of Research Triangle Park, NC-based Coleman Insights, it has worked with dozens of traditional and digital media companies investigating a wide array of issues including the digital media habits of Country music fans, audio streaming strategies, the viability of mobile television, strategies for developing local web portals, music download packaging options and new media content distribution platforms. More information about knowDigital is available at www.knowDigital.com.
About National Association of Broadcasters
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America’s broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.
About Emmis Communications
Emmis Communications – Great Media, Great People, Great Service® Emmis Communications Corporation is a diversified media company, principally focused on radio broadcasting. Emmis operates the 9th largest radio portfolio in the United States based on total listeners. Emmis owns 18 FM and 3 AM radio stations in New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Austin (Emmis has a 50.1% controlling interest in Emmis’ radio stations located there), Indianapolis and Terre Haute, IN and operates two additional stations in New York (1 FM and 1 AM) pursuant to a Local Marketing Agreement (“LMA”) whereby Emmis provides the programming for these stations and sells all advertising within that programming pending its acquisition of the stations. In addition, one of the FM radio stations Emmis currently owns in New York is operated pursuant to a LMA by a third party. Learn more at www.Emmis.com.
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