Radio Ads Retain Listeners

NEW YORK Contrary to popular belief, far fewer listeners change stations when a commercial comes on the radio.

In fact, radio commercials on average retain 92 percent of the lead-in audience, according to a landmark study from Arbitron, Media Monitors and Coleman released Thursday at the National Association of Broadcasters radio show in Dallas.

Conducted last November and December, the study examined 93,876 commercial breaks in Houston (where Arbitron is demonstrating its portable people meter), comparing the audience level for each minute of a commercial break to the audience for the minute before the ads began.

Retention