CorpComms Magazine

Listening to the radio boosts the mood of the nation more than television, according to a new study commissioned by the Radio Advertising Bureau.

The Media And The Mood Of The Nation study was carried out to discover whether there is a direct connection between media and mood.

The research revealed that couch-potatoes and PC users were less happy and had less energy than those who regularly listen to the radio.

The research found that despite the digital media boom, conventional media remains top dog, and listening to the radio is the most pleasurable of the existing media available.

Levels of happiness were found to double while energy levels rose 300 per cent for regular listeners, compared to those who avoid media altogether.

Listening to the radio while also being online was revealed to be the best boost of all, as the radio provides a sense of companionship while the web allows people to do tasks at the same time.

The report stated: 'Radio is chosen as a lifestyle support system, to help people feel better as they go about their daily lives. Rather than the peaks and troughs that people have claimed to experience with TV and the Internet.'

The study reported that the mood of television viewers improved on average by 62 per cent, and that they had 180 per cent more energy than when they are using no media. While Internet surfers recorded a 220 per cent rise in energy levels.

Last year the radio station with the most listeners was BBC Radio 2 with 14.4 million. The fifth most popular was BBC Radio 5 live with 6.7 million listeners, and in tenth place was talkSPORT with 3.2 million.

The UK-based research was a week-long poll that involved 1,000 smartphone users who were asked to rate their mood and energy levels from minus-five to five when using each media.

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