Radio is going Digital!

In an ever-evolving technological world, we’ve seen a huge trend of mediums moving towards an “all-digital” platform, and radio is no exception.

When it comes to radio’s core listeners (those who listen daily for more than an hour at a time), the majority have smart phones, enabling these listeners to stream audio “on-the-go” with radio apps – some of the most popular downloaded and used.  What’s extremely notable about this, is the increase in time spent listening and the amount of users.

According to Statista, an estimated 61 percent of the U.S. population is listening to online radio, based on their 2017 study.  In addition, from 2008 to until now, user listening hours nearly doubled and continues to grow.  Listeners are now tuning in more than 14 hours week, compared to the 6 hours spent listening when online radio first began to gain popularity in 2008.

What does this mean for the future, and for RadioMax?

As it currently stands, there are more than 11.6k commercial radio stations in the United States, all competing for listeners, and staying up-to-date with the newest technology.

The aforementioned Statista study states forecasts suggest 55.8 percent of the entire U.S. population, and as much as 68.4 percent of the U.S. internet users, will have become online radio users this year. If trends continue as we’ve seen over the last decade, time spent listening will also increase, making online radio an extremely attractive advertising outlet.

Of course, for RadioMax, this is nothing short of exciting as we continue to develop our app to give the best user experience possible. With a goal and purpose to serve as the streaming platform for independent radio, providing our stations and their listeners with a comprehensive app that encourages engaging and interactive experiences is key as we look to expand both nationally and internationally. With online radio only expected to increase, the need for a custom mobile solution will become more necessary.