Radio advertisements are an affordable way to reach a broad local audience and can be easily targeted to specific demographics by choosing the right station. They also offer a high frequency for repeated messaging and can drive immediate traffic through live reads or promotional codes.

Radio advertising continues to be a relevant and effective part of the media landscape, with a number of compelling statistics to support its value. Here is a summary of key statistics related to radio advertising:

Audience and Listenership
* Broad Reach: Radio reaches a vast audience. Over 92% of Americans aged 12 and older listen to the radio each week, which is a higher reach than TV, smartphones, and PCs.

* Dominance in Ad-Supported Audio: For ad-supported audio listening, radio remains the most popular choice. It accounts for nearly 90% of ad-supported listening in cars and over half of ad-supported listening at home.

* Cross-Generational Appeal: Radio's audience spans all age groups. While it is particularly strong with older audiences (Baby Boomers dedicate 69% of their ad-supported audio time to radio), younger generations also listen. Gen Z spends nearly as much time with radio as with ad-supported streaming music, with AM/FM broadcast accounting for 30% of their listening.

Financials and Market Trends
* Market Size: The global traditional radio advertising market was valued at approximately $28.6 billion in 2024. In the U.S., local radio ad sales are projected to be around $12.3 billion in 2025.
* Digital Growth: Digital revenue for U.S. radio stations is on the rise, reaching $2.1 billion in 2024. This accounted for nearly 25% of the average station's total income, with a 9.7% increase projected for 2025. This highlights the growing importance of digital platforms for radio.

* Top Advertising Categories: Major spending categories for radio advertising include Retail, Government & Politics, and Miscellaneous Services & Amusements.

Return on Investment (ROI)
* Strong ROI: Radio offers a significant return on investment. One study found that for every $1 spent on radio advertising, consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies saw a return of $12 in sales.

* Short-Term and Long-Term Profitability: A dollar invested in audio advertising (including radio) can generate an average of $3.12 in profit within the first 13 weeks and $6.29 over a two-year period.

* Synergy with Digital: Radio advertising complements digital campaigns. Brands that integrate radio with other channels can see increased efficiency and a "multiplier effect" on their overall campaign. In some cases, adding radio can double the effectiveness of a multi-channel campaign with just a small portion of the budget.