The first-ever Share of Ear: Canada, an Edison Research survey commissioned by radio marketing and advocacy group Radio Connects, has determined that broadcast radio listening in Canada is even greater than in the U.S.
Results showed that AM/FM radio stations account for 61 percent of all Canadian listening, whether over-the-air or via streaming. The U.S. is 50 percent. Streaming audio services comprise 9 percent of listening, compared to 15 percent in America.
In addition to terrestrial and streaming audio, the study showed that respondents listened to their own music collections 16 percent, TV music channels six percent, SiriusXM Satellite Radio four percent and podcasts 3 percent.
The study also found that Canadians spend an average of 4 hours and 14 minutes every day listening to audio, slightly more than their U.S. counterparts but didn't offer a comparative figure.
"We are pleased to bring our unique methodology for capturing all audio to Canada for the first time," says Edison Research president Larry Rosin. "Bravo to Radio Connects for giving broadcasters a potent tool to demonstrate the power of the medium in a way that goes beyond empirical evidence, and for providing the entire audio industry with a report card."
The "nationally representative study" of 1,022 Canadians ages 13-plus, both English and French-speaking residents, measured their time spent listening to audio sources. According to Edison Research, respondents filled out a diary of their audio listening habits during a 24-hour period on an assigned day.
The resulting study was shared in Toronto at an advertising event sponsored by Numeris, Canada's broadcast ratings cooperative.
Share of Ear has measured audio listening across platforms in the U.S. since 2014.
It should be noted that some top audio brands familiar to Americans are unavailable, notably Pandora. iHeartRadio Canada launched in October 2016 and Radioplayer Canada earlier this year.
Full details of Share of Ear: Canada are available at EdisonResearch.com or through Radio Connects.
