A recent study by Edison Media Research shows sharp declines in the amount of time teenagers listen to radio, and even sharper declines among people 12-to-24.

The company’s research shows sharp declines in Time Spent Listening (TSL), Persons Using Radio (PUR) and attitudes about radio among the 12-to-24-age group, the listeners who represent both terrestrial radio’s future and its greatest challenge.

“With iPods, podcasting and Internet radio, today’s 12-24 listeners have even more alternatives to terrestrial radio,” noted Edison President Larry Rosin. “It is vital for broadcasters to study this newly-updated data and take action.”

Among the findings of the new study:

• TSL among 12-to-17-year-olds is down 22% since 1993. Weekly TSL at that time was 65 quarter-hours. By 2000, it had fallen below 60; it is now 51 quarter-hours per week.
• While much recent attention has been focused on teens who may not be learning to use radio at all, 18-to-24 TSL has declined by an even larger percentage (24%). TSL in 1993 was 95 quarter-hours per week; it is now 72 quarter-hours. Listening 12-24 is falling significantly faster than among those 25-plus.
• While broadcasters often point to an increase in the raw number of Persons Using Radio to offset any concern about a decline in TSL, that number has finally flattened ‚Äì counteracted by the significant increase in the number of people who now report no listening to radio at all. In fact, more than 11% of boys 12-17 now report no weekly radio listening at all.
• The decline in 12-24 listening dates back to the early 90s — a time when few broadcasters were willing to target listeners under 24. While broadcasters showed a renewed interest in younger targeted formats in the mid-to-late 90s, recent years have seen a renewed emphasis on gold-based 25-plus formats and a graying of the programming talent pool.
• Fewer young people expect radio to be an important part of their future lives.