Severe weather prompts US listeners to tune into the radio
A Nielsen report indicates that North Americans are turning to the radio to learn about weather conditions at extreme times.
Report of InsideRadio declares that “the scorching heat wave. Smoke from the Canadian wildfires that made New York City look like the apocalypse. Severe flooding in Kentucky. Severe weather has become the norm in the summer of 2023. Despite the availability of weather information from apps and other sources, Americans continue to listen to radio broadcasts to stay informed during major weather events.
Bill Smee, Vice President of Nielsen News Minute-to-Minute, says in the report that Nielsen’s minute-to-minute ratings confirm the increase in viewership during bad weather news. “We’re seeing sustained spikes in our ratings during these intense downturns, and they’re not just limited to the heat wave,” says Smee. When Texas was hit by a series of intense storms earlier this year, Nielsen’s daily ratings showed “a marked increase,” Smee said. The same goes for air quality emergencies in Chicago, New York and Detroit.
If you want to read the full report, click here
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