Research that gets you on radio

Why producers want a statistic

A producer needs a reason to run your story today. A new and surprising number is one of the best reasons there is.

It gives the presenter an opening line and the listener something to react to. It also makes your spokesperson the person who can explain what the number means.

SENTIA's Dry January 2026 survey found more than a third of Brits (35%) find a month without alcohol daunting. Among 25 to 34 year olds, it was 47%.

Its co-founder, the neuropsychopharmacologist who developed the drink, talked it through on Sky News Radio, BBC Radio Devon and BBC Radio Bristol. The campaign ran to 13 items reaching 4.7 million.

How many questions to ask

Fewer than you think. A short survey keeps respondents focused and gives cleaner results.

Every question should have a possible headline behind it. If you cannot imagine a presenter reading the result out, cut the question.

We help you trim a long wish list down to the handful of questions that will actually get used on air.

Writing questions that make headlines

PR research for broadcast is written for the ear. These rules keep it that way.

• Ask about behaviour and feelings, not just opinions of your product.
• Use the plain words a listener would use.
• Look for a gap between what people know and what they do.
• Include something that splits opinion, so presenters can invite debate.
• Keep your brand out of the questions so the results stay credible.

A finding presenters want to read out

Lovehoney's Valentine's Day 2026 research shows how a playful question can carry a serious point. A third of Brits (33%) said they identify with Shrek and reject Valentine's Day.

Behind the fun, two-thirds (67%) said they would rather have genuine intimacy than grand gestures. That gave a relationship expert plenty to discuss on BBC Radio WM, BBC Radio Nottingham and BBC Radio Cumbria.

Turning results into a radio angle

A spreadsheet of percentages is not a story. The angle is the one finding that says something new about how people live.

We pick that finding, tie it to the moment it belongs to, and write the sell-in around it. TalkingParents did this for summer 2026, when 78% of co-parents said they clash with the other parent over the holidays.

A family law specialist then spoke on BBC Radio Newcastle, BBC Radio Lincolnshire and Greatest Hits Radio East Midlands. The campaign returned 11:1.

Regional data for local stations

Local radio wants local numbers. If your sample is large enough to split by region, each station can hear what its own area thinks.

That turns one national survey into many local stories. A presenter in Bristol would rather lead with the figure for the South West than the national one.

Saxony Tourism's Christmas 2025 campaign started with a national survey on festive habits, which an interior designer then talked through on air. It reached stations from BBC Radio Solent to BBC Radio Cumbria, with 15 items, 4.1 million reach and a 22:1 return.