In the biggest media study of its kind, the Center for Research Excellence and Ball State University tracked 376 people around in five markets — Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia and Seattle — for two days, observing media consumption every ten seconds and logging it in a computer.  The results show broadcast radio overshadows all other forms of audio media — including the iPod.

“Radio is the dominant form of audio, and it’s dominant in the home, at-work and in the car,” says Nielsen’s Dr. Michael Link, who authored the report.  The data shows the average radio user listened to a broadcast more than one hour a day — 109 minutes — and the medium was used by 77% of study participants.   The second most-used media isn’t web radio or MP3s.  The low-tech CD and cassette tape logged 72 minutes of consumption daily on average.  Ipod listening may be growing, but Link says there’s also good news for radio. “There doesn’t seem like there’s this huge erosion, because we would have already seen broadcast radio far lower than what we actually saw.”  The report found portable MP3s were used by 12% of participants. Mobile phone audio usage ranked last with just 2% of consumers having phones capable of listening to audio content. Among those people tracked that did have the ability, they listened for an average of just nine minutes a day.  Link says, “The data shows a clear story that broadcast radio is alive and well and not even by a small amount — it is orders of magnitude when you compare it to other forms of audio.”

Young adults aren’t abandoning radio, they’re just multi audio-tasking the report expliains.  Link says, “The perception has been that they have largely abandoned radio and gone only to portable devices and other types of digital media. That simply isn’t the case.”  The audio mapping study shows broadcast radio makes up a smaller share of an 18-34 year old’s total daily audio consumption (44%) compared to nearly half (49%) for 35-54 year olds.  But those young adults who are radio users tune-in for an average 104 minutes each day.   Link says, “It is very clear that younger adults also listen to a lot of radio.  They also listen to iPods as well, but they seem to be more like audiophiles.”  In other words, they listen to a lot of all forms of audio.

Link believes young adults use the iPod to fit a specific time of day or location-based situations where they can’t tune into broadcast radio.  Link notes, “Even those that have iPods listen to broadcast radio about 70 minutes a day.”  Across the board, broadcast radio did better with those who have higher income and more education — even those designated “high tech oriented” by researchers.

Where’s listening strong? Everywhere.   The dashboard is becoming crowded with new devices and offerings, but broadcast radio is still the driving force in audio entertainment.  The study shows car audio is primarily broadcast radio listening time, with the medium comprising nearly three-quarters (74%) of all audio time.  Six in ten study participants listened for about one hour each day.

The report also confirms what radio’s long known — at work listening is strong.  Over half (54%) of all audio exposure at work was to broadcast radio with four-in ten listening to an FM or AM station for an average of more than two hours (123 minutes) per day.   Even in the home, where there are a lot more distractions, radio still is the leading audio source.  It accounts for 46% of all audio exposure.

Broadcast radio also has the highest in-home reach with over one-third (35%) of those observed tuned-in at home on the day of the observation for more than one hour on average.  Across all segments, satellite radio’s share of listening is small.  But among those who do subscribe, they tend to consume more pay radio than terrestrial stations.

Read the full report HERE.