Among Hispanic Adults, Radio Is The Most Trusted Media

In these final weeks leading up to Election Day, research from Katz Radio Group offers another powerful reason for candidates to be using radio to reach all-important Hispanic voters.

A Katz survey conducted in June among 1,300 adults 18+ found nearly in eight in 10 (79%) score radio as either very trustworthy or trustworthy — ahead of newspapers, TV, magazines, or social media. How different are those results among the more than 200 Hispanic respondents surveyed?

According to Katz’s “Sound Answers” blog, the segment’s media perceptions are very much the same, with radio again leading the other four in trustworthiness at 78%, with a slightly wider gap between radio and newspapers, 4% vs. radio’s 2% lead among all adults.

“Hispanics are an influential consumer group with growing impact on the economy, politics, and beyond, so learning more about the media that resonates best can have great consequences for advertisers,” Katz’s report says. “Results revealed promising insights for marketers and radio: when it comes to trust among Hispanics, hearing is believing.”

As was also the case with the total survey sample, radio again has double-digit distance between itself and TV or magazines among Hispanics, with the former 10 and the latter 13 percentage points behind radio. One key difference is with social media, which while dead last, scores 12 points higher with Hispanics — 40%, vs. 28% for all adults 18+ — when it comes to trust.

“Katz’s findings provide encouragement for brands to invest in AM/FM radio to reach the Hispanic marketplace,” the report says. “Advertisers should aspire to align themselves with platforms that have earned and maintained credibility among the Hispanic community. Radio, especially Spanish-language formatted stations, allows brands to speak to Hispanic consumers on trusted, local, and authentic platforms. Such environments allow campaigns to truly resonate among Hispanic audiences.”