How Brands Use Radio and Streaming Audio to Amplify News

 

If your PR strategy stops at text and video, you may be missing how many audiences engage. As modern media habits continue to evolve with new channels, audio remains a vital news source. Your brand can use various audio opportunities for public relations (PR), including advertising on radio, audio news releases, radio media tours (RMTs) and streaming audio platforms.

In 2026, successful PR strategies will include both traditional earned media and digital audio placements. This guide explains how to use audio formats strategically and highlights services that can help streamline distribution and placement.

Why Radio Still Matters for PR Campaigns

Radio remains highly relevant, with approximately 80% of Americans listening weekly. Traditional AM and FM stations and streaming radio stations also account for the most audio listening time.

Radio media advertising can help you reach a range of demographics, including commuters and people who tune in when completing other tasks. It's a highly engaging format for activities that aren't suited to visual content, including driving, working, cooking or exercising.

Companies can take advantage of this convenience and flexibility to increase brand visibility. By using a mix of national networks and regional terrestrial stations, you can reach a broad cross-section of customers. Streamline your broadcast outreach process with PR Newswire's Satellite and Radio Media Tours, which can help you build and coordinate a targeted communication strategy for your story.

How Streaming Audio Expands Brand Reach

Streaming audio has created new opportunities for brands wanting to reach specific audiences. Platforms such as Spotify and iHeart allow for precise targeting based on age, location and interests, so you can get your message in front of receptive listeners.

Because streaming audio platforms let you measure engagement, they can complement on-air RMTs. By tracking metrics, such as impressions and listen-through rates, you can refine your paid-placement strategy to increase message frequency and reach a wider audience.

Using Radio Media Tours (RMTs) to Drive Broadcast Reach

RMTs are a proven way to amplify your message and maximize your broadcast reach. You can work with producers to select a spokesperson and place interviews directly into local and national radio stations.

An RMT provides both control and engagement. You can choose talent, write questions in advance and craft the message to resonate with listeners in each market. Because the format uses conversations between hosts and spokespeople, your story still feels authentic and human.

To increase the impact of earned media, coordinate RMTs with a broader communication strategy. For example, you might time radio interviews to align with press releases, social media posts and paid placements. An RMT service can help you book and distribute your interviews through multiple broadcast playlists, reinforcing your message across outlets and audiences.

Using Audio News Releases (ANRs)

ANRs are another way to get on-air mentions across broadcast networks and streaming platforms. An ANR is a scripted radio segment you produce and package in advance; it's cost-effective and gives you complete control over the message.

To maximize the impact of an ANR, include a strong hook that captures listeners' attention. Close with a clear, memorable call to action to help them engage further with your brand. When possible, use a service like PR Newswire's Multimedia Content Distribution to reinforce your ANR with images and video.

Integrating Paid Streaming Audio Ads Into PR Campaigns

Paid streaming audio ads can round out your media mix, enabling you to reach defined audience segments with highly targeted messages. With the help of a streaming audio advertising agency, you can adjust the ad creative to resonate with each group while aligning with the overall broadcast messaging strategy. PR Newswire's Strategic Media Placement tools make it easy to reach audiences across channels.

Streaming audio ad platforms often offer advanced retargeting features to increase awareness and engagement among listeners who have been exposed to your brand. Look for additional features, such as click and conversion tracking, which measure listeners' actions after hearing your radio ads. This data is useful for monitoring return on ad spend and optimizing future media strategies.

Audience Insights for Radio + Streaming Audio

The way listeners consume audio content can vary based on age, education, device type, channel and time of day. For example, Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 are more likely to listen to podcasts than any other age group, meaning podcast advertising services could be cost-effective for brands with young audiences.

Understanding your audience's listening habits can help you get more value from your radio and streaming audio placements. Both options have unique advantages: Radio tends to have a broader reach among audiences with diverse ethnicities, educational backgrounds and political views, while streaming stations offer more personalization options. You can use each platform's built-in audience analytics for precise targeting for local and national audiences.

Using multiple audio channels and strategies can significantly boost awareness and engagement. In one streaming audio advertising company case study, a shoe brand saw a 38% increase in awareness and a 17% increase in purchase intent by adding AM/FM streaming radio ads to its standard streaming audio advertising on platforms such as Pandora and Spotify. Another company used a combination of local radio advertising and streaming platforms to drive a 20% increase in foot traffic.

Best Practices for a 2026 Audio Strategy

As you refine your 2026 audio PR strategy, consider the following best practices:

• Embrace multimedia: Release videos, photos and digital elements to support your audio assets. Help listeners easily access multimedia resources with on-platform ads or simple links.
• Maintain consistent messaging: Reinforcing the same message across radio media tours, audio news releases and paid audio ads increases awareness and familiarity. Consistency helps build relationships and encourages audiences to engage more with your brand.
• Invest in professional production: Modern listeners have high standards for audio quality. Buy professional-grade audio equipment to ensure clarity and reduce distortion across channels or outsource production to a professional studio.
• Train your spokespeople: Ensure spokespeople understand how to communicate compelling messages in audio-only formats. They can clearly explain key points, deliver scripts naturally and adjust their tone and speed to suit each audience or channel.
• Track performance: Before each audio campaign, identify key metrics, such as impressions, reach, engagement, frequency, audio completion rate and conversions. Monitor each metric before, during and after the campaign to determine the short- and long-term effects.

Enhance Audience Engagement With Radio and Streaming Audio 

As listening habits evolve across age groups, integrated audio strategies are essential for successful PR campaigns. Instead of using separate tactics for terrestrial radio stations and streaming audio platforms, consider coordinating your campaigns across channels. 

There's no need to determine whether to use radio advertising versus social media or streaming services. Delivering consistent messaging across broadcast media tours, audio news releases and digital placements can increase media coverage and improve audience retention rates.

To get in front of the right listeners at the right time, partner with PR Newswire to build a distribution and placement strategy and amplify your message across channels.