Columbia, MD - Mar 16, 2011 - Arbitron released highlights from its Radar 108 National Radio Listening Report, which is scheduled for release on March 21. The report shows radio's increase of about 2.1 million weekly listeners aged 12 and older over the last year. The number of people 12 and older listening to radio each week now reaches an estimated 241.6 million, representing 93.1 percent of all people.

As compared to the March 2010 report, the number of radio listeners increased across all major demographics, with adults aged 18 to 34 showing the biggest gains, demonstrating radio's continued appeal to young listeners. Adults aged 18 to 34 weekly radio listeners increased nearly 508,000 in the past year, reaching 93.7 percent of all people in this demographic group. The number of teens aged 12 to 17 listening to radio also increased, rising 203,000 in the past year.

The report indicates that over the course of a week approximately 92 percent of all teens aged 12 to 17, 94 percent of adults aged 18 to 34 and 95 percent of adults aged 18 to 49 and adults aged 25 to 54 listen to radio.

Arbitron also notes that radio's diversity continues to grow, with a variety of formats that appeal to various ethnic groups, particularly Black (non-Hispanic) and Hispanic.