Radio Ink - Radio's Premier Management & Marketing Magazine

DETROIT -- April 27, 2009: Jacobs Media's Technology Web Poll V online survey of more than 21,000 Rock radio listeners -- primarily members of station e-mail clubs -- found that 12 percent of the sample plan to buy or lease a new vehicle in 2009.

The good news, Jacobs Media says, is that, while 46 percent of respondents said they always buy a domestic vehicle, 18 percent said they are strongly considering an American car or truck even though they'd typically buy a foreign brand.

Jacobs Media asked the prospective vehicle buyers to rate the features related to entertainment, music, and information they'd most like in a new car. Beyond AM/FM radio (87 percent) and a CD player (82 percent), says the researcher, the most desired feature was the ability to connect an iPod or other MP3 player to the vehicle (47 percent). That response, said Jacobs Media, "stands heads above other options," including satellite radio (16 percent), GPS (24 percent), a DVD player (18 percent), and HD Radio (9 percent).

Jacobs Media President Fred Jacobs said, "The automakers are struggling to generate sales in a challenging economic environment, but outside of Kia's new commercials for their Soul, iPod connectors are not in the sales proposition. It's a missed opportunity. Satellite radio and GPS won't move the needle -- but iPods will."