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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Renovate or Relocate? The Real Forces Driving Home Improvement — and Why Radio Matters

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Home improvement used to be about style. Today, it’s about strategy. Remodeling is no longer a weekend project. It’s a lifestyle adjustment, a financial decision and for many, a necessity. Rising housing costs, aging homes and changing living needs have shifted homeowners’ mindset from “Should we renovate?” to “How do we make our home work better for us?”

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Car Buying Got Complicated — And Consumers Are Listening Differently

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Buying a car used to feel exciting. Today, for many consumers, it feels… complicated.

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Dental Anxiety Is Real—And It’s a Marketing Opportunity for Local Practices

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

The tooth fairy… from a young age. Many of us are told that you will receive a “reward” when you lose a tooth. So, why as adults, do so many of us dread dental visits?

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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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2025’s Most Read: Radio’s Biggest Trends & Takeaways

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

As we look back on the past year, our blog explored a wide range of topics—each shining a light on why radio continues to be America’s top media platform.

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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 Drives Holiday Hunt for Fashionable Gifts

Author: Victor Texcucano, Content Coordinator, RAB

Tariffs, inflation and changing consumer preferences mean the clothing/apparel industry is in a state of ups and downs. With the holiday season here, retailer marketing is in full swing.

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In a Local Business World, Radio Keeps Auto Repair in the Driver’s Seat

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

In today’s evolving vehicle landscape, local auto repair shops are sitting on a powerful advantage—if they understand what consumers are thinking, feeling and doing, they can market accordingly.

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How Local Radio Turns Consumer Anxiety into Small Business Sales

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

The latest consumer confidence report for October just dropped. Not much changed from September, barely ticking down just one point to 94.6.

What is so interesting about this? It’s a total split between how people feel right now versus how they feel about the future.

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Radio Builds Business for Home Improvement Retailers

Author: Victor Texcucano, Content Coordinator, RAB

Home improvement never stops. Whether it’s to place your home on the real estate market or just to simply boost curb appeal, consumers are always on the hunt for inspiration, tools and materials to get the job done.

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Holiday Shopping Creates Big Opportunities for Local Media Advertising

Contributor: Mallory Bouslog, senior account executive, Marketron

Despite fourth quarter signaling the end of the year, it is also actually a huge advertising opportunity for the year. Retail and other industries see bumps in spending, making it critical to promote their business to rake in holiday shopping sales.

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Finish 2025 Strong; Kickstart 2026 with Momentum: BIA Forecast – 5 Key Highlights

Contributor: Celine Matthiessen, VP of Insights and Analytics, BIA Advisory Services

As we near the end of the year, it’s important to maximize opportunities and also work towards 2026. With shifts in consumer behavior and spending across key local business categories, having insights into the current and future marketplace will be key advantages to driving growth.

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Tuning Into Financial Stress: Why Radio Is the Medium for Money-Minded Americans

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Today’s news headlines reflect consumers’ economic outlook – uncertain. A quick internet search on Americans’ financial outlook reveals a flood of polls and surveys that highlight widespread concern about the economy and personal financial futures.

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Driving Demand: How Radio Moves the Needle with RV Enthusiasts

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

As the weather begins to change in some parts of the U.S., people across the country are reminiscing about their vacations, road trips and travels. That doesn’t mean that those events are over.

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Radio’s Powerful Role Among Black Consumers

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Growth opportunities. In today’s economic environment, this is what businesses large and small are looking for – growth in awareness, traffic and sales. Growth comes from change – a shift in strategies, tactics and marketing.

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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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The State of Radio Sales: Listeners Remain as Do the Value of the Spots

Contributor: Todd Kalman, CRO, Marketron

Depending on what you read and hear, you may think radio advertising revenues are destined for downturns. There’s more to the story than the misconceptions that nobody’s buying airtime ads, and that no one listens to broadcast radio. Both are false!

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Radio has a Place at the Marketing Table for Furniture Retailers

Author: Nick Arias, Research & Insights Assistant, RAB

“Home is where the heart is.” There is no better feeling than the comfort of your own home, and some of that comfort can be attributed to the furnishings in your home.

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