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When it comes to audio content and audio listening device, we could have a chicken-and-egg discussion – do you seek out a device to play the type of audio that you want to hear, or do you go to the most convenient device and choose from available audio? Whichever way those arguments shake out, we can show you that Share of Ear® confirms a link between newer car models and time spent with satellite radio.

The graphic below shows the percent of daily in-car audio consumption to SiriusXM by those who primarily drive or ride in older model year cars, versus newer model year cars.

For those who primarily drive or ride in model year cars 2010 and older, 5% of their daily in-car listening time is with SiriusXM. For those who drive or ride in model year cars 2019 and newer, the listening to SiriusXM is over four times that much – 22%. The data in between, for model years 2011-2018, follows the pattern of newer models = more listening.  
 
Newer autos have newer in-dash systems equipped with satellite receivers, and many new car acquisitions in the U.S. come with a complimentary trial of SiriusXM, so it stands to reason that SiriusXM sees bigger shares in newer vehicles. Last week we talked about the dominance of linear audio in-car, and it looks like SiriusXM is taking advantage of the linear-positive in-car audio environment. 

The fourth annual Latino Podcast Listener Report will debut in a webinar on Thursday, October 5 at 2 p.m. ET. This year’s study will focus on podcast monetization and advertising potential through the lens of the Latinx consumer.

The study from Edison Research was commissioned by LWC Studios, Latina to Latina, Libsyn, Latino Media Network, and SXM Media, and will be presented by Gabriel Soto, Senior Director of Research at Edison Research; Elsie Escobar, Director of Community & Content at Libsyn and Co-Founder of She Podcasts, and Briana Mendez, Senior Sales Marketing Manager at SXM Media.

Click here to register for The Latino Podcast Listener Report 2023

Want to get ready for the Latino Podcast Listener Report and do some networking? You have your chance tomorrow! A virtual networking event, Monetizing Latiné Podcasts: Pre-Report Networking, will be held by Libsyn and BIPOC Podcast Creators on Thursday, September 21 at 7 p.m. ET. The event will include a preview of the fourth Latino Podcast Listener Report and meaningful discussions on monetizing podcasts with Latino audiences.

Click here to register for Monetizing Latiné Podcasts: Pre-Report Networking

This post is from Edison’s Weekly Insights email. Please click here if you would like to subscribe.

Two weeks ago, we talked about how the percent of daily audio time Americans spend with linear audio just was passed by the time spent with on-demand audio. That is true when looking at total listening, and we recognize that finding as a milestone in the story of audio in the U.S.

But what about listening in various locations?

In the graphic below, you can see that for listening in locations except for in-car, the majority of daily audio time is spent with on-demand platforms (60%) compared with 40% to linear platforms. This would include listening at home, at work, and other places such as taking walks, or when at the grocery store or gym. There is a very different proportion of linear to on-demand listening in the car, however.

In the car, 76% of the time spent with audio by Americans age 13+ is with linear platforms, which include AM/FM radio, radio streams, SiriusXM Radio, and other radio services. On-demand platforms, such as paid streaming services, podcasts, or owned music such as CDs, garner 24% of the total in-car listening time. Clearly, a very different picture than what is seen in other listening locations.

What is it about the car that makes the linear audio experience that much more appealing? Listening to on-demand audio means more time navigating phone menus and making choices, when the road demands one’s attention. Linear audio is, for many people, just easier in-car. The hardware is simple and making an audio choice requires fewer decisions. AM/FM and SiriusXM offer listening experiences where there is no pausing or rewinding, and the content choices are made by program directors – all positives in a linear environment. As for AM/FM, there may be the added element in some cases of actual, live people, speaking to listeners in real time, which could provide companionship while driving.

As in-car audio systems make on-demand listening more streamlined and accessible, we are likely to continue to see on-demand listening grow in cars. For now, though, linear audio takes the lion’s share of audio time among those age 13+ in the car.