Media, Music, Radio and the LGBTQ Community

Companies that neglect to include LGBTQ representation in their advertising don39t just risk alienating an important segment of the population they risk alienating the majority of Americans amp160Today nine in 10 Americans are quotLGBTQ friendlyquot and open to seeing LGBTQ in advertising amp160In addition one in three including over half of Millennials 18 34 identify as active LGBTQ allies who want to take a stand further stretching the LGBTQ community39s impact amp160From a marketing perspective if you care about attracting the allimportant Millennials you must care about inclusivityThese findings come from a primary research study that iHeartMedia recently conducted with Ipsos and Community Marketing Inc to quantify our reach and engage with the LGBTQ community as well as to offer insights into who they are their media loyalties and their media usage amp160Our results show that nearly 10 percent of the US population identifies as LGBTQ amp160Of course that almost 10 percent also has intersecting social identities that include race gender and more amp160That intersectionality means that LGBTQ cross over to other key segments of the population such as AfricanAmericanamp160In addition the research shows that they are educated affluent and most likely living in a city with a higher concentration on the West Coast than the general population amp160Ninety percent hold college degrees vs 70 percent of the general population and the average annual household income for LGBTQ people is 65000 vs 57500 for the general populationWhen it comes to how they spend that income music and pop culture are critical to their social lives and broadcast radio and live events are key mediums that connect with LGBTQ consumers amp160In the last year eight in 10 LGBTQ consumers attended a live event and nearly 65 percent attended a live music event amp160Overall they believe live music events are critical to their social lives and create positive emotional ties to music and recording artistsTheir love of music extends to what they39re listening to in their cars and homes amp160Broadcast radio reaches 90 percent of the LGBTQ population each week amp160Surprisingly radio39s reach even surpasses media focused solely on the LGBTQ community amp160They listen to radio 67 percent more than they view any LGBTQ dedicated TV channel 56 percent more than they read any national LGBTQ magazine 40 percent more than they read any regional LGBTQ newspaper and 18 percent more than they visit any LGBTQspecific websiteEven with all the new streaming music options broadcast radio is a vital component of LGBTQ daily life amp160Two in three members feel connected to radio stations like 1027 KIISFM in Los Angeles or WGCIFM Chicago39s HipHop and RampampB station amp160That same number also feel radio is a great way to discover new songs and artists and believe that radio keeps them connected to their local neighborhoods and cities amp160Like many radio lovers they feel a strong connection and longstanding relationship with their favorite radio DJs who they view as relatableregular people like themselves LGBTQ members also engage with a wider variety of music genres than the general populationThis strong connection can be a great opportunity for diligent marketers amp160Radio is in a unique position to connect forwardthinking brands to the hundreds of millions of Americans who identify as LGBTQ allies and LGBTQ friendly amp160iHeartMedia and our onair personalities continue to work closely with our LGBTQ listeners and allies including supporting GLAAD39s Spirit Day partnering with local Pride Month events and launching iHeartRadio39s digital Pride Radio Network as well as its broadcast stations in Austin TXamp160Minneapolis MNamp160St Louis MO and most recently Philadelphia PARadio has another added benefit amp160It allows all consumers to fill in the blanks with their own context amp160As a result radio with its theater of the mind offers more room for diversity than does visual media amp160Take for example an ad highlighting last night39s family dinner amp160With other media an advertiser might be forced to define exactly what that family looks like and exactly what they ate for dinner and it may not be what their consumers have in mind amp160However with radio you can just say family and someone will fill in their definition of the word whether it39s headed by a single parent or a twofamily household consisting of two moms or two dads amp160That ability to let consumers imagine equals advertising that is automatically less exclusionaryWhen it comes to marketing brands should not just market to what America truly looks like in the 21st century they should also take Pride in that marketingClick the social buttons above or below to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Media, Music, Radio and the LGBTQ Community

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Radha Subramanyam

Empowering Women in Media: Insights from Industry Leaders (Video) - By E.B. Moss

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