LBC Insight > Speech Research Speech radio makes up just 5.6% of UK commercial radio listening and as such often suffers from a lack of understanding compared to the larger music radio sector.

In 1999 the ‘Toy Story’ study conducted by GWR and NOP proved the advertising effectiveness of the speech radio environment. The controlled experiment showed recall levels on average 15% higher amongst respondents listening to speech radio.

In 2005 Global and NOP set out to further increase understanding, this time focusing on the listeners themselves rather than the listening environment. An updated experiment to the original Toy Story study was conducted with respondents also questioned about their radio listening, their attitudes to the medium and its different speech and music sectors.

Global wanted to understand if speech radio listeners are simply better ‘trained’ to tune in to commercial radio and advertising messages? Does repeated exposure to speech radio lead to a more attentive listener? Is speech radio a more engaging and attention grabbing listening experience than its music rival?