NHPR and public radio attract loyal listeners and supporters from all walks of life. They tend to be highly educated, intellectually curious, culturally passionate, and concerned about the issues facing their communities and the world at large. The unwavering commitment to high-quality journalism and storytelling is what sets us apart, attracting a loyal, curious, and influential audience.
Compared to the overall US population, public radio listeners are...
234% more likely to have an advanced degree
49% more likely to have a household income of $100K+
94% more likely to be business owners or partners
146% more likely to lead management, business or financial operations
171% more likely to attend arts & cultural events
193% more likely to be influential within their communities.
ATTITUDES ABOUT PUBLIC RADIO & CORPORATE SPONSORS
The high opinion listeners have of public radio tends to rub off on the companies who sponsor it - we call this "the halo effect.” Our research demonstrates the strong “halo effect” that public radio sponsorship provides for sponsor brand.
Public radio listeners:
Have more positive opinions of brands when they sponsor public radio.
Are more inclined to do business with brands when they sponsor public radio.
Feel sponsor brands share their values.
84% of public radio listeners have taken direct action as a result of sponsorship, acting on the preference to do business with partners of their station.
78% of listeners consider public radio "personally important" to them.
72% of public radio listeners hold a more positive opinion of a company when they learn it supports public radio.
68% of public radio listeners prefer to buy products and services from companies that support public radio, when price and quality are equal.
72% of Listeners prefer to buy products from companies that support NPR stations.
63% pay attention to the sponsorship messages/ads heard on NPR affiliate member stations.
85% more likely to own at least $250,000 in investments, 70% more likely to use a financial planner.
54% of listeners surveyed believe companies that sponsor public radio are more credible than those that advertise on commercial radio.
DEMOGRAPHICS
Gender: 50% Men; 50% Women
Age: 41% Aged 25 to 54; 50% Aged 35 to 64; 29% Aged 35 to 54; 56% Aged 55 to 65+; 38% Aged 65+
Education: 73% College degree or beyond; 41% Post graduate degree
Income: 84% HHI $50,000+; 70% HHI $75,000+; 58% HHI $100,000+; Median Household Income : $114,900
Marital Status: 59% Married
Sources: MRI-Simmons Doublebase Fall 2022; Kantar, NPR Sponsorship Survey, June 2023.