GlobeNewswire Inc | Jan 20, 2022 03:28PM EST

January 20, 2022

NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CUMULUS MEDIA (NASDAQ: CMLS), today released the latest edition of the NCAA Mens Basketball Listening Report from the CUMULUS MEDIA | Westwood One Audio Active Group. The report includes a just-completed Nielsen Portable People Meter analysis of season-long audiences and brand-new data from a MARU/Matchbox study tracking a day in the life of an NCAA basketball fan.

The just-released edition of the Report reveals valuable insights for advertisers. Some highlights include:

-- 33 million people listen to NCAA Mens Basketball each season on Westwood One. The Nielsen Portable People Meter analysis of season-long audiences reveals NCAA audio audiences grow and grow each week. -- Among persons 18-34, Westwood One reaches a stunning 59% of the NCAA Mens Basketball Audience and is the number two platform, ahead of linear television (behind streaming video). The younger the NCAA audience, the greater the reach and resonance of Westwood Ones audio platform. -- Westwood Ones NCAA Mens Basketball audio coverage maximizes the value of an NCAA television media plan, generating incremental reach (+19%) and frequency.

The complete NCAA Mens Basketball Listening Report is available here.

There is no denying the fervor of the NCAA basketball audience and the excitement March Madness generates. Our Westwood One broadcasts cater to everyone, from the casual fan to the diehard, and they all are just the kind of listeners advertisers want - upscale, employed, and listening on the go, said Suzanne Grimes, EVP, Marketing for Cumulus Media and President, Westwood One. With an audience that's 33 million strong, NCAA Mens Basketball on Westwood One is a reach machine.

Westwood Ones exclusive NCAA basketball coverage showcases more than 350 hours of live Mens basketball action consisting of 107 games plus pregame and postgame programming. Westwood One also provides live Spanish-language coverage of the NCAA Mens Final Four and National Championship Game. In addition, Westwood One broadcasts the NCAA Womens' Basketball Tournament from the Sweet Sixteen through the National Championship Game. Fans can access coverage on AM/FM radio, SiriusXM, digital audio streams, or smart speakers. Westwood One has broadcast the NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament since 1982 and every game of NCAA March Madness on multiple platforms since 2005.

About CUMULUS MEDIACUMULUS MEDIA (NASDAQ: CMLS) is an audio-first media company delivering premium content to over a quarter billion people every month wherever and whenever they want it. CUMULUS MEDIA engages listeners with high-quality local programming through 410 owned-and-operated radio stations across 86 markets; delivers nationally-syndicated sports, news, talk, and entertainment programming from iconic brands including the NFL, the NCAA, the Masters, CNN, the AP, the Academy of Country Music Awards, and many other world-class partners across nearly 7,300 affiliated stations through Westwood One, the largest audio network in America; and inspires listeners through the CUMULUS Podcast Network, its rapidly growing network of original podcasts that are smart, entertaining and thought-provoking. CUMULUS MEDIA provides advertisers with personal connections, local impact and national reach through broadcast and on-demand digital, mobile, social, and voice-activated platforms, as well as integrated digital marketing services, powerful influencers, full-service audio solutions, industry-leading research and insights, and live event experiences. CUMULUS MEDIA is the only audio media company to provide marketers with local and national advertising performance guarantees. For more information visit www.cumulusmedia.com.

Contact: Karen Glover | Westwood One | kglover@westwoodone.com