Local businesses have been marketing their goods and services on Boston radio since December 1921. That's when WBZ became the area's first radio station broadcasting live from the Easter States Exposition in Springfield. Who could have guessed that 102 years later, advertising on Boston radio would still be the best advertising option for all types of retailers and business owners.

Every week, according to Nielsen, Boston radio reaches 3,333,841 adult consumers. This reach is significantly higher than all other advertising options including local TV, cable, social media, streaming video, online audio, and newspapers.

Reach, according to Nielsen, is the audience metric most responsible for driving the success of an advertising campaign. Only the message itself carries more sway.

According to Nielsen, 3,333,841 adults tune in to their favorite Boston radio stations every week. This is significantly more consumers than are reached by all other advertising-supported media, including local TV, local cable, streaming video, social media, online audion, and local newspapers.

Boston radio's unchallenged reach is why many local business owners depend on the medium to capture the largest possible share of the $101 billion dollars consumers are expected to spend at retail this year.

Other local small business owners, however, may be surprised to learn that by most marketing metrics, radio remains the best way to advertise in Boston.

Here are four more facts about AM/FM radio that may surprise many local marketers.

Boston radio reaches more local consumers each week than any other advertising medium.

According to Nielsen, 3,333,841 adults tune in to their favorite AM/FM stations every week.  This is significantly more consumers than are reached by Boston TV, cable, streaming video, streaming audio, social media, or newspapers.

AM/FM radio's dominance among local consumers is driven, in large part, by the 3.3 million Boston area adults who take to the road in their car or truck every week, according to Neilsen.

Local business owners have been advertising on Boston radio since WBZ first signed-on in 1921.  But, back then, there were only two options for reaching a mass audience: newspapers and radio.

Today, though, advertisers have an over-abundance of marketing options both over-the-air and online. But every week, according to Nielsen, 3.4 million adults listen to a Boston radio station, giving the 101-year-old medium, by far, the biggest reach amongst local consumers.

A new report released last week by Nielsen underscores AM/FM radio's durable reach among all media.