Radio Bite: The news during Covid-19

Radio is a powerful and often underutilised platform for advertisers. During these unprecedented times, our Radio Bites series will give compelling reasons for brands to continue to be heard on the airwaves and why consumers will be listening.

Our latest research, Beyond the Bubble, explores radio’s unique role in news consumption, and how it connects with 12 million listeners that other media cannot reach in the same way.

The research also explored the essential role commercial radio is playing during the Covid-19 pandemic, which continues to impact day-to-day life in 2021.

Commercial radio was the source least likely to be avoided by all groups identified in the research – including Super-seekers, Enthusiasts and Outsiders – ensuring that vital government messages still cut through. Eight out of 10 listeners surveyed (80%) found radio a reliable source for regular updates and three quarters (74%) relied on radio to provide vital national news. By contrast, half (50%) avoided social media as its information was seen as inaccurate or misleading.

Additionally, seven out of 10 listeners (72%) realised how they relied on radio to provide news relevant about the area they live in.

The findings reflect the high level of trust in radio among all listeners, with respondents ranking radio as the most trusted source of news (77%), and social media the least. This is backed up by research from external sources such as Ofcom and the European Commission’s annual Eurobarometer survey, which we’ve explored in previous Bites.