Survey suggests only radio will rival internet for growth

Between them, the internet and radio account for half of media consumption in broadband households, according to new research. Radio is the only traditional medium that will see growth remotely approaching that expected from online in the next year.

A joint study commissioned by the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) found that 71 per cent of respondents said they would use the internet more in the next year, while a quarter said they would increase their radio listening. One in five UK internet users listen to the radio while surfing.

The research found that combining radio and online advertising enhances consumer response and interaction: 59 per cent of people said they had researched products and services on the internet after hearing about them on the radio, while 39 per cent said they had responded specifically to radio ads.

Much of this is attributable to the fact that both radio and online are what the IAB and the RAB call “social connectivity” media.

The huge growth in online is increasingly affecting time spent with other media – radio is the only traditional medium most respondents predicted they would be spending more time with in the next 12 months.

Seventy-two per cent of people said they listened to the radio in the previous week.