The Secret to More Profitable Marketing? Audio.

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

What if one media channel could make every other part of a marketing campaign work harder?

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How Many Ads Should A Radio Station Run? Cumulus Media | Westwood One And RAB Reveals Guidelines

Contributor: Pierre Bouvard, Chief Insights Officer, Cumulus Media | Westwood One

RAB fields questions daily regarding research, best practices, promotional ideas, and more. One of the most frequently asked questions is, “How many ads should I run per week?” The answer always starts with, “That depends. What is your goal?”

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Black Consumers, Brand Trust and Radio’s Unique Connection

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Black consumers continue driving cultural influence, purchasing behavior and marketplace trends across industries ranging from beauty and fashion to technology, food and entertainment. Their influence extends far beyond direct spending power, shaping what becomes culturally relevant, socially amplified and commercially successful.

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Boomers Hold the Wealth. Radio Holds the Connection.

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Marketers have spent years chasing younger consumers – following emerging platforms, evolving behaviors and cultural trends. But in the race to connect with millennials and Gen Z, many advertisers may be overlooking one of the most financially powerful audiences in America: baby boomers.

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Think Radio is Dead? Better Convince 93% of America.

Contributors: Howard Robertson, CEO/founder, Spotset Media Network and Ryan Robertson, president, Spotset Media Network

The face is covered by a sheet, but the eyes are wide open. The pulse is strong. The heart beats steadily. And that pathway to the soul we call hearing? Completely intact. There is loud noise in the room, deafening yet clearly heard: about new directions, about who is in and who is out. But radio can hear every word of it. Because radio is very much alive. Those who have written radio’s obituary and left it for dead need to stop, collaborate, and listen.

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Bringing Radio Measurement into the Mobile Age: A Milestone Moment for the Audio Diary

Contributor: Rich Tunkel, Managing Director, Nielsen Audio

For the past several years, we’ve been on a mission at Nielsen: to make sure radio measurement is as modern and dynamic as the industry itself. Content and advertising decisions depend on accurate, reliable data and that means constant measurement evolution and adaptation.

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Why Radio Starts the Year Strong – Even When the Economy Feels Uncertain

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

January often brings a mix of optimism and caution. Businesses are setting new goals, reviewing budgets, and closely watching economic signals. For advertisers, uncertainty can lead to hesitation — but with the help of broadcast radio, businesses can seize the opportunities that still exist.

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My 2025 in Review – Audio, New Data and MMM

Contributor: John Fix, John Fix Ltd. – Consulting P&G retiree

I was fortunate to work with many great people and companies this year. Cumulus Media, iHeart, SiriusXM and In4mation Insights were great partners and the RAB and IAB have done great things with audio. The majority of the conversations were around the role of data and every road somehow led to MMM.

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Audio Advertising Gets Some Fine Tuning

New measurement tools in audio give marketers a better sense of their ROI

Contributor: Matthew Schwartz, director of editorial and content development, ANA

Video didn’t kill the radio advertising star. Neither did social media, online gaming, nor Netflix. The rise of digital platforms has been a veritable boon for audio advertising, which encompasses ads on streaming music services, podcasts, and traditional AM/FM and digital radio stations. Despite the dizzying number of media channels — or maybe because of them — radio continues to provide advertisers with effective reach at lower cost per thousand than linear or streaming programming.

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Radio Pumps Up Marketing Effectiveness

Audio advertising can boost audience engagement from the top of the funnel to the bottom

Author: Tammy Greenberg SVP Business Development, RAB

The pressure is on almost every marketer. A whopping 95 percent of marketing leaders say their teams are under more pressure than ever to prove marketing’s value, according to “CMSWire’s 2025 State of the CMO Report.” Equally worrisome, the report, based on the responses from 515 marketing leaders, found that 69 percent of marketers feel the gravity of responsibility to deliver quantifiable ROI, up from 59 percent in 2023. Using audio media platforms to amplify brand-building efforts — and drive full-funnel results — could be the solution to relieve the pressure.

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Here are Radio’s Truths

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

There is no doubt that today’s media landscape is fragmented and that capturing a consumer’s attention is difficult. Brands need a medium that can not only capture their attention, but one that offers scale, boosts other media, engages and delivers results.

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It’s Time Marketers Hear the Truth About Audio

Misconceptions about audio could leave brands missing out on a valuable medium

Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB

Audio consumption has seen significant growth in recent years due to an expanding landscape. With consumers turning to audio for the convenience that it provides – allowing them to multitask – and the plethora of content to suit all moods and needs, it may be no surprise that WARC reports audio has grown significantly faster than media consumption overall, across demographics. However, there is a significant gap in the investments marketers allocate to audio versus other media. WARC projected that, by 2024, audio would account for 24.5 percent of all ad-supported media consumption but only 8.4 percent of ad investments. The disparity between engagement with audio and investment in audio is profound.

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The New 3-Minute Qualifer Data Insights

Authors: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB and Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

First quarter audience levels are the highest they have been since 2022. What now?

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Radio Opportunities Abound In 2025

Contributor: Celine Matthiessen, vice president insights & analysis, BIA Advisory Services

Radio isn’t just surviving in 2025 – it’s evolving. With $12.3 billion in projected local radio and digital radio ad revenue this year, combining both traditional and digital platforms, radio remains the fifth-largest advertising medium in the local market space. BIA’s analysis reveals shifts in how different sectors are approaching radio advertising.

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Insights into Action: 5 Next Steps for Radio from the Borrell-RAB Digital Radio Sales Report

Contributor: Beth Osborne, director, marketing and content, Marketron

For 13 years, the Borrell-RAB digital benchmarking report on radio digital sales has been a valuable resource for the industry. The insights of local media buyers and station management allow us to look backward and forward on the opportunity for radio to be a leader in local digital ad sales.

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Is Creative Wearout a Thing?

Contributor: Angela Jeffrey, Vice President Brand Management, ABX Advertising Benchmark Index

Is Creative Wearout a Thing … in radio? RAB recently asked ABX Advertising Benchmark Index to investigate this question and come up with a definitive answer.

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Radio is the Perfect Partner

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Partnerships are important. Ask anyone who is trying to grow their business, and they will admit that along with their own hard work, the partnerships and relationships they build with both consumers and other businesses has helped their own growth and impact.

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Radio Digital Revenue Grew by 6.8%: Insights from the Borrell-RAB Digital Benchmarking Report

Contributors: Todd Kalman, SVP sales, Marketron, and Beth Osborne, director, marketing and content, Marketron

Now in its 12th year, the Borrell-RAB digital benchmarking for radio delivered intelligence and learnings for the local media sales industry. One of the most exciting revelations was that radio digital revenue increased by 6.8%, besting the overall market of 5.4%. Additionally, 21% of all radio station ad revenue is now in the digital bucket. We’re eager to dive deep into the findings to deliver analysis for the year ahead.

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Amplifying Brand Buzz: How Radio Redefines Conversations and Influence

Harness Radio’s Unique Ability to Fuel Purchase Intent and More

Contributor: Vanessa Lontoc, VP of Marketing, Engagement Labs

In the ever-evolving landscape of media impact, radio emerges as a potent catalyst for brand conversations. The study “Radio Drives Brand Conversations,” commissioned by RAB in partnership with Engagement Labs, dives deep into radio’s role in driving brand discussions and explores its profound influence on purchase intent, societal discourse and the bottom line. In this blog, we dissect key findings and offer actionable recommendations for brands and advertisers looking to harness the untapped potential of radio conversations.

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Radio Is a Powerful Ad Channel Across the Sales Funnel

Contributor: Todd Kalman, SVP of Sales, Marketron

Radio still has plenty of ears listening. The latest listener data highlights that AM/FM radio is the No. 1 mass-reach audio medium, with 91% of Americans age 18 and older listening monthly. Ad-supported radio also wins in share of ear and time spent listening. These are vital metrics demonstrating that radio is still a dominant presence and the best way for many advertisers to connect with audiences.

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