Here are some of the key findings from this year’s PRTS3 study:
* Public radio listeners have to be the best educated on the planet. Eight in ten have a college degree. And nearly half hold a graduate degree.
* More than one-third of PRTS3 respondents now own a smartphone, up 29% from last year’s study. The top choice? The iPHONE (and this survey occurred before the holidays and the VERIZON announcement).
* PANDORA makes its first ever appearance in this study. One-fourth of public radio survey takers listen to PANDORA monthly or more.
* Last year’s big headline was about social media. And while momentum has slowed, nearly two-thirds of PRTS3 respondents now have a profile. FACEBOOK and LINKEDIN are the big gainers, while MYSPACE‘s share has actually decreased.
* Internet radio streaming shows impressive gains. Four in ten PRTS3 participants listen to streaming audio at least weekly, up 17% from last year’s survey.
* In the past year, six of every ten PRTS3 respondents say they have downloaded and listened to a podcast.
* Texting continues to grow, even among Classical music fans. Among the total sample, more than four in ten participants text weekly or more.
* More than one in ten owns an eReader, such as a KINDLE or NOOK, while 6% have already purchased an iPAD.
* Finally, HD RADIO ownership continues to rise. Overall, 6% say they have an HD RADIO, up 22% from last year. On the other hand, satellite radio has plateaued at 13%, similar to PRTS2 levels.