Nielsen: News/Talk Top Radio Format in Q3 of 2026
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.
