Radio Holds 64% of Registered Voter Share of Ear In Ad-Led Audio

Why It Matters

The data confirms radio as the most effective, bipartisan channel for political advertisers, outweighing the hype around podcasts and streaming platforms.

Key Takeaways

• AM/FM captures 64% of ad‑supported audio among voters
• Podcasts hold 21% share, far behind radio
• Over 53% of voters' audio time is ad‑supported
• Political ad spend projected above $10 billion in 2026
• Radio reach consistent across Republicans, Democrats, Independents

Pulse Analysis

The latest Edison Research Share of Ear report confirms that traditional AM/FM radio remains the backbone of ad‑supported audio for U.S. voters. Across the 2025 calendar year, radio accounted for 64 percent of all ad‑supported listening among adults 18 and older, dwarfing the combined share of Spotify, Pandora, SiriusXM, YouTube Music and Amazon Music. With 53 percent of registered voters’ daily audio time occurring on ad‑supported platforms, more than half of the audience is exposed to commercial messaging, and radio commands nearly two‑thirds of that exposure.

Political advertisers are taking note as the 2026 election cycle is projected to exceed $10 billion in media spend, a steep rise from $8.75 billion in 2022. The bipartisan nature of radio’s reach—65 percent among Republicans, 64 percent among Democrats, and 62 percent among Independents—offers a single platform that can deliver messages across the entire electorate. While podcasts have grown to a respectable 21 percent share and reach 24 percent of voters, they function as an additive audience rather than a substitute for radio’s mass exposure.

Given these dynamics, media planners should allocate the bulk of their political budgets to AM/FM radio while layering podcast spots to capture niche, highly engaged listeners. Brands can leverage radio’s in‑car dominance and local market granularity to tailor messages for swing districts, then use podcasts to reinforce policy points with longer‑form storytelling. As streaming services continue to expand ad‑free tiers, the proportion of ad‑supported audio may gradually shrink, but for the foreseeable future radio’s unrivaled reach and cost efficiency keep it at the center of any election‑season media strategy.