The latest National Radio Listening Report released by Arbitron shows that radio added 1.4 million new listeners in 2011, now reaching an estimated 241.3 million persons – or 93% of the total population – ages twelve and older, each week.

And just so there’s no room for argument, that’s based on a sample size of 395,502 persons.  When was the last time you saw a national survey based on something even a fraction of that sample size?

The fact is, good old AM + FM remains a permanent part of our lifestyle.

• 92% of Teens 12-17 listen each week
• 93% of Adults 18-49 listen each week
• 95% of Hispanics 12+ listen each week
• 93% of Black non-Hispanics 12+ listen each week

That means America’s love affair with this portable, personal medium is undeniably a “till death do us part” romance.  We start the day with our favorite air personalities, eager for them to bring us up to speed with the latest news and entertainment we need to stay current.  We reward our favorite stations.with highly-coveted buttons on our car radio dashboard.  And we count on radio for companionship and entertainment throughout the day and night, seven days a week.

No matter how techno-crazy our lives become, 93% of us still retreat to the safe, comfortable companionship of our favorite AM and FM radio stations’ for entertainment and information.

That’s 241,300,000 reasons to remember radio, the next time some shiny new marketing fad beckons your budget.  Radio is Sound Advertising.

Mark Lipsky is the President and CEO of The Radio Agency. Please follow The Radio Agency’s Blog “Sounding Board” by subscribing to the email or RSS links above. Visit our website TheRadioAgency.com