It’s well known across the media landscape that consumers in the U.S. are connecting with more content across more devices than ever before. But as an industry, we have not tapped into the truly unique opportunities presented by this increased consumption at the same pace as consumers.

The only metric that never changes is sales, which begs the question: Will we eventually see an industrywide guarantee on sales?

Weather wasn't the only record-breaker this February. Records fell left and right in both the spoken word and music arenas on radio according to Nielsen’s February portable people meter (PPM) data.

The Hispanic radio audience is growing across the U.S., increasing by more than half a million listeners over the past year based on Nielsen’s March 2014 RADAR report. So where is this listening growth coming from?

Radio listeners come in all varieties, and so do their listening preferences. We know that listeners tune in at different times during the day, but we also know they tune in for different reasons. So a big part of radio programming involves determining how to cater to the broader audience while still focusing on core listeners.

Linking radio station tuning data to consumer purchase information is the best way to ensure that radio advertising is being heard by consumers who are eager to listen.

Country is America’s No. 1 radio format, thanks to the genre’s banner performance in 2013. And much of the format's success is coming from younger listeners.

The start of a new year inevitably brings new resolutions and, for many, attempts to counter the effects from the holidays. It’s the same for many audio formats, which feel the impact of holiday programming on ratings from Thanksgiving until New Year’s. Radio programmers are now seeing those trends reverse in the results from the first post-holiday ratings book in Nielsen’s portable people meter (PPM) markets.

Millennials are some of the most connected consumers in America today. They’re also steady radio listeners. And despite rapidly evolving technology, radio continues to engage an extraordinarily high percentage of Millennials across the country each week.

242 million people listen to the radio each week. But what you may not be conscious of is where and when you’re most likely to tune in to hear your favorite music, news, talk or sports programming… because it depends on your employment status.

Ninety-two percent of the people in the U.S. over the age of 12 (242 million people) listen to the radio each week. But what you may not be conscious of is where and when you’re most likely to tune in to hear your favorite music, news, talk or sports programming…because it depends on your employment status.

The holidays may seem like a distant memory now. However, before you start breaking your new resolutions, let’s recap the impact of Nielsen’s holiday ratings book, which spanned the four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas when holiday programming fills the audio spectrum all across the country.

When it comes to radio ratings, programmers are consistently focused on determining which listener group is the most influential. After all, appealing to the audience with the biggest influence is the best way to ensure a high-performing station.

Every day counts for radio broadcasters who are trying to maximize their audiences. Peak listening across the country happens at the end of the week, and stations can always find ways to tweak their programming to boost listenership.

While the holidays are a boon for radio, programmers shouldn’t forget their every-day strategies for keeping listeners coming back for more. One solution we discussed from many different angles this year was how important the number of days of listening is to ratings in Nielsen’s PPM measured markets.

As the year draws to a close it’s time to reflect on the format preferences of radio listeners in the U.S., where more than 90 percent of Americans use the medium on a weekly basis.

On the radio, good things come in small packages. The few listeners who tune in the most can drive the greatest share of ratings.

More than 90 percent of Americans turn on the radio each week. Capturing these listeners in total audience measurement will allow marketers to get closer to understanding their shoppers’ daily lives and how to best engage them.

New business brings new opportunity, and Nielsen Audio, acquired at the end of September 2013, is doing just that. Today, Nielsen is sharing with clients and the industry the first in a series of investments we’ll be making in our newly acquired audio business in the second half of 2014.

When you exclude the candy and belly aches, Halloween has quite a bit in common with radio. It touches all age groups, all demographics and it doesn’t distinguish between the living and the undead.

What’s the most influential group of listeners when it comes to radio ratings? For radio programmers, the questions don’t get much bigger. Intuitively, it would seem like the power listeners would fit the bill. Surprisingly, however, there’s more influence in the middle of the road than at the extremes.

Radio is a powerful medium that reaches millions of Americans each week—243 million in fact. Every generation listens to the radio, and all generations boast listener bases of more than 85 percent.

Nowadays, an Internet browser and a smartphone allow an on-air talent to be an information curator, with vast quantities of data instantly at the ready. But is it too much information? Or, at least so much that it’s more difficult than ever to determine what’s most relevant to deliver to your listeners?

Occasions of listening are easier to influence than how long they last. In other words, focus on getting listeners to tune back in. And now the subject of daily occasions is standard in every program director’s ratings toolbox.

Recycling is good for the environment and is also good for radio station ratings.