Study: Digital radio approaching 160M listeners

The number of active monthly digital radio listeners will rise 8.1 percent this year, hitting 159.8 million.

That’s according to a new study from eMarketer, which predicts that by 2018 there will be 183.4 million digital radio listeners.

The report says digital radio listeners are at “mass-market proportions,” representing just over half the population and almost two-thirds of internet users.

It also predicts a shift toward non-desktop devices to listen with, including smartphones, tablets and in-car systems.

Most of the companies with advertising are using 15-second audio spots, but advertisers are also “creating branded playlists and sponsoring launch events, contests and festivals.”

Notes the report: “Despite a generally positive outlook for digital radio, scale and pricing consistency challenges—also typical of a rapidly growing market—remain.”

Tags: digital radio, digital radio listeners, emarketer, radio, studies