Bridge: Alternative Platforms To Spur Radio TSL Growth

• Bridge Listening Pyramid

• BRIDGE RATINGS offered a more optimistic vision of radio's future growth in its latest "Device Usage Study," asserting that terrestrial radio finally "gets it" when it comes to multi-platform audio consumption. Furthermore, if it aggressively pursues Internet and mobile distribution of its product, total Time Spent Listening should increase by 2012 and especially 2014.
  
  
• Currently BRIDGE estimates that terrestrial radio programming garners 19 hours a week of total listening; 94% or 18 hours comes via AM/FM and 6% or about one hour comes from Net simulcast. There has not been enough data to calculate any mobile device (ie: smartphone) listening. There is insufficient data to indicate how much, if any, listening is derived from mobile devices at this time.
  
  
• BRIDGE predicts that in two years, terrestrial listening will drop of a 90% share, while Internet will grow to 8% and mobile listening will make its presence felt, with a 2% share. The good news is that the growth in Net and mobile phone listening will likely make up for -- if not surpass --any drop in terrestrial listening.
  
  
• Current terrestrial TSL is expected to fall 3% by 2014, from 18 hours and 15 minutes a week to 17:40. However, Net listening TSL will rise 39% from 11 hours and 20 minutes a week to 15:45, and mobile listening is expected to increase 23% from 4 hours to 4:54.