August 2017

A new study of millennial public radio listeners suggests that stations should focus on delivering more local and on-demand content to bolster their appeal to the country’s largest generation.

The Millennial Research Project, commissioned by the Public Radio Program Directors Association, found that millennials don’t fit commonly cited stereotypes of being lazy and addicted to technology. It also suggests that their habits are changing how media content is consumed. A common theme from the interviews was that respondents “hold public radio in the highest regard and commonly compare it favorably with the most credible news outlets,” according to an executive summary. But some interviewees also voiced frustrations. Paul Jacobs, VP and GM of Jacobs Media, said that he noticed a shift in perception after the election. Some respondents said they’re “agitated that journalists on public radio are not going far enough, they’re not questioning hard enough, they’re letting people get away with saying things that might not be true,” Jacobs said. “These are perceptions, but they were deeply embedded.” Those respondents “still value public radio,” he said. But “they’re getting a little irritated” and ”they feel there are times when public radio is falling short,” he added.

Google was rocked by condemnation from both left and right after firing an employee who highlighted gender differences to explain women’s under-representation in tech. But the scandal over Silicon Valley’s diversity shortcomings did little to shake the Alphabet Inc company’s positive public image, nor its stock price. According to Morning Consult Brand Intelligence, it dipped four percentage points to 86 percent favorability in the days after Damore’s memo circulated, but remained solidly within its long-term average. By comparison, the industry average hovers around 40 percent.