Although the alcohol industry as a whole has reduced spending on radio ads in the past five years, about one-third of those ads were more likely to be heard by underage youth than adults, according to a report from the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at Georgetown University. In five major cities, more than half of alcohol ads were placed on programs youth were more likely to listen.

The CAMY report found that overall radio advertising from the alcohol industry dropped 38 percent between 2001 and 2006, but a large percentage of those remaining ad dollars were apparently being targeted at young people.

"The assumption that iPods and the Internet have displaced radio as a primary source of entertainment for young people is wrong," said David Jernigan, CAMY executive director, in a news release. "Young people ages 12 to 17 are the most likely group to be listening from 7 p.m. to midnight and our findings show that alcohol ads are still finding their way to too many young ears."

Analyzing 337,602 Alcohol Ads

The CAMY report analyzed 337,602 alcohol product advertisements placed on radio stations in 28 of the largest markets in the U.S. Findings of the study included:

• More than a third -- 120,299 or 35.6 percent -- of the radio advertisements for alcohol were placed on programming that youth ages 12 to 20 were more likely per capita to hear than adults.

• More than half (58 percent) of youth exposure to alcohol advertising on the radio came from advertising placed on programming that youth were more likely to hear than adults.

• Approximately one in twelve, or 27,682, alcohol advertisements were on programming with youth audience compositions in excess of the alcohol industry's voluntary 30 percent threshold. Eighteen of 143 brands placed 20 percent or more of their advertisements the threshold.

• Twenty-six alcohol brands placed more than half of their advertisements on programming more likely to be heard by youth per capita than by adults.

• Four brands -- Licor 43, Yuengling Traditional Lager, Remy Martin V.S.O.P. Cognac, and Bud Ice Beer -- gained more than half of their youth exposure from advertising placed on programming with youth audiences greater than 30 percent.

"Four years after alcohol companies adopted a new threshold for youth audiences, their ad placements are still missing the mark," said Jernigan. "Ongoing monitoring is crucial to ensuring that alcohol companies do all they can to shield our youth from their advertising."

^{Source: Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth. "Youth Exposure to Alcohol Advertising on Radio 2006" (PDF). September 17, 2007.}