All about public radio

Arbitron, the radio audience measurement company, has released its annual profile of… us. Public Radio Today 2010, How America Listens to Radio, analyzes nine public radio formats and paints a picture of the typical — if there is such a thing — public radio listener.

News/talk is the dominant public radio format, beating its next-strongest public radio format (combinations of news and classical music). In fact, there is no age demographic in which news/talk isn’t the most-listened-to public radio format.

A “heat index” reveals where news/talk on public radio is heaviest, although the most intriguing note is where it’s not:

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Nearly 70% of public radio news listeners have a college degree and 92% have attended some college.

Listeners to classical public radio stations jumped 1.7% in the fall of 2009, compared to a year earlier, which Arbitron attributes to the disappearance of the remaining commercial classical stations. More men, apparently, are listening to classical than a similar Arbitron report four years ago. And, contrary to the prevailing wisdom, the classical music listening audience got younger, increasing its below-55 audience from 29% to 32% in a year.

The “heat index” map isn’t surprising…

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Contrary to their public perception, almost half of public radio listeners drive — or plan to purchase — an SUV or midsize car, the report says. The least popular vehicle — and this isn’t surprising anyone, is it? — is a pickup truck.