LOS OYENTES VALORAN LA RADIO

In the race to catch the consumer’s ear, radio ranks high in succeeding, but places runner-up in relaying the good news to its listeners, according to research conducted by a national branding company.

“Radio is something that’s very important to the consumer, but because it is always there and reliable, it can be taken for granted” said Kelly O’Keefe, president of O’Keefe Brands in Richmond, Va. “Listeners find immense value in radio and listen to it in a surprising variety of times, settings and places — from waking up to it with the alarm clock to taking it into their shower, car and workplace.”

O’Keefe said his company set out to understand how consumers valued radio and how they compared it to other media. He said while radio is very much alive and well, the industry as a whole can work better together to communicate radio’s value to the consumer. “That’s where we see great opportunity for improvement,” O’Keefe said.

WHAT LISTENERS THINK

O’Keefe Brands was retained by NAB to conduct an independent study, which took place over a three-month period earlier this year. “We have commissioned a study that willhelp reposition radio for a healthy and promising future,” said NAB President and CEO David K. Rehr. “Perception goes a long way, and it is important that radio broadcasters speak with a consistent message that conveys our strength and vibrant future, whether addressing advertisers, auto manufacturers, financial analysts, lawmakersor the news media.”

The research included focus groups with various segments of the general public from all over the country. Man-on-the-street interviews as well as research with media buyers, industry experts and industry reporters were included in the study. “The radio industry has an incredible market share and yet they’ve been relatively quiet,” O’Keefe said. “So we think there’s a great opportunity to change that and remind people just how vital radio is.” One advantage local radio has is its portability, O’Keefe said. “Radio is really just about anywhere you want to listen.”

EASY TO FIND

More and more consumers listen not only in their car or on a radio in the kitchen, but through the Web and with portable devices like the Apple iPod, O’Keefe said. “Anyplace where there’s a speaker or a headphone there should be radio,” he said. O’Keefe added that iPod users eventually asked Apple to add radio as an option. After it did, this option became one of its most popular additions. O’Keefe notes that this type of demand for radio comes not from the older listening crowd, but the young and techno-savvy. The end result of the research, O’Keefe said, is the industry will learn of its strengths and weakness and can change course where nnecessary. “Radio has a great story to tell, it just needs a coordinated effort,” O’Keefe said.