Nielsen publishes its quarterly report card on how “U.S. consumers spend their listening day” (using data from Nielsen and Edison Research) and concludes that “83% of all daily ad-supported audio time goes to radio and podcasts, while only 15% goes to streaming music services.” The Q3 2026 report also 
addresses listening by radio format and again this quarter news/talk remains the number one format, with a 10.2% share of total radio listening among P18+. “It is even stronger with older listeners, at 11.5% among P35+. Sports captured 4.5% of total radio listening among P18+ and 4.6% among P25-54, as football season kicked off and baseball headed into its pennant races. All-news held a 2.7% share among P18+ and 3.0% among P35+.” Spoken word radio stations dominated streaming listening. “News/talk, sports and all-news together account for about 36% of station streaming among P18+, roughly double their 17% share of all radio listening. News/talk takes 22.1% of AM/FM station streaming among P18+, more than twice its share of total radio. That rises to 24.2% among P35+. Sports is the No. 1 streamed format among P25-54, at 13.0%, and takes 10.3% of station streaming among P18+.” See more about the report here.
MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2026
