All Sports listeners are the best educated and live in the highest income households of all the formats we studied. This upscale audience likes to consume sports in every way possible; much of their cable TV and website choices are for sports and they attend live sporting events.

All Sports’ 3.6 national AQH share for persons 12+ more than doubled since the 2003 Radio Today. Among the great radio success stories of the last 20 years, All Sports attracted 27 million 12+ listeners via 758 rated stations in Fall 2011, moving up to 9th place among the most popular formats.

Already No. 1 in our report last year, Country + New Country grew even more to remain in first place. The format’s 0.8 year-over-year growth was larger than any other format in our study. Its geographic strength was in the Midwest and Appalachian states, and in medium and small markets.

Rich with high-income, highly educated listeners, News/Talk/Information + Talk/Personality national AQH share was even with last year’s report. News/Talk/Information + Talk/Personality has the longest time spent listening of all formats in the report.

Urban AC packs a powerful punch with the relatively few—213—rated stations. Falling in at a 3.9 national AQH share for persons aged 12+, it is substantially ahead of the 2.2 it had in our 2003 report. The format has the highest percentage of Black listeners in this study.

Rhythmic CHR has the highest proportion of under-35 listeners of the formats in this study. Its listeners love technology and make vigorous use of the web. They are much more likely to visit entertainment web brands, including MySpace.

Adult Contemporary + Soft Adult Contemporary’s 72 million 12+ listeners is larger than any other format in this study. The formats are strong in the midday daypart, reinforcing their reputations as “at-work” strongholds.