Recently released audience research from Nielsen Audio* shows that Michigan Radio’s weekly listening audience grew to the largest in station history this past fall. According to the Fall 2016 Nielsen Audio Report, the station’s weekly broadcast audience across Michigan exceeded 530,000 listeners per week. This represents a 21% increase in weekly listeners statewide compared to a year ago, with a 17% increase seen in Ann Arbor, a 34% increase in Detroit and a 42% increase in weekly listeners in Grand Rapids. In addition to the station’s over-the-air broadcast, more than 100,000 people each month listen to Michigan Radio’s online audio stream each month.
This audience growth solidifies the station’s position as Michigan’s most listened to NPR station, and among the top public radio stations nationwide in terms of listening audience. In addition to the station’s large statewide audience, Michigan Radio continues as the top NPR station in each of the Detroit, Ann Arbor, Flint, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo metro markets.
Certainly a portion of Michigan Radio’s recent audience growth can be attributed to the 2016 election and continuing interest in national and statewide politics. Most of the top-ranked NPR news stations across the country saw an increase in listening audience in 2016, with listening audience this fall peaking on election day.
*Source: Nielsen Audio Fall 2016 National Regional Database; Persons 12+, Mon-Sun, 6AM-12Midnight.