As quick-service chains such as McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts are starting to reap the benefits of staying open later, and opening for business earlier, a new study conducted by The Media Audit provides a positive glimpse of those adults who are listening to radio between the hours of midnight and 5 AM, proving that for some advertisers, late night advertising inventory can be valuable.
Recently, McDonald's stated that the company's fastest growing business hours are between midnight and 5 AM. According to The Media Audit, more than 8.2 million U.S. consumers across The Media Audit's 80 measured markets regularly listen to radio between the hours of midnight and 5 AM. The figure represents nearly a 10% jump from last year.
Among these listeners, 31.8% are between the ages of 18 and 34 and nearly half are between the ages of 18 and 44. More than one third of these listeners are single, a figure that is 42% higher when compared to the general population. As a result, these consumers typically have greater degree of free time for leisure activities and a higher disposable income for eating out frequently.
Among radio formats that reach the greatest number of late night listeners include Talk, which reaches 2.7 million listeners between the hours of midnight and 5 AM in a typical week, followed by News/Talk (1.7 million), Contemporary Hits Radio (1.5 million), Sports (1.1 million), and Public Radio (1 million).
Source: The Media Audit FYI, 01/31/12