In findings that could reshape how the modern political campaign is run, a new Nielsen study shows the substantial impact of radio on elections. The study, in partnership with Cumulus Media, iHeartMedia, and Audacy, reveals that early deployment of AM/FM ads significantly enhances reach, particularly among undecided voters.

The study found that AM/FM outperforms both television and connected TV in reaching voters across all segments, notably among independent and unaffiliated voters. This challenges the conventional use of radio for targeting narrow segments or last-minute “get out the vote” efforts, suggesting its effectiveness as a broad-scale media strategy akin to TV.