Climate and Lifestyle
San Diego enjoys a year-round temperate climate attracting thousands of new residents and tourists annually. Holiday Magazine describes San Diego as “the only area in the United States with perfect weather,” with an average temperature of 70-degrees. The incredibly varied geography allows for swimming in the Pacific Ocean in the morning, hiking in the eastern mountains during the day and camping out under the desert stars at night, all without leaving San Diego County’s enticing borders. With miles of sandy coastline and beaches and endless opportunities for rest and recreation away from home, many people choose San Diego because of the inviting, outdoors-based lifestyle. Radio is the only medium that is as mobile as its listening audience.

Economy
Although it’s the physical beauty that initially attracts most people here, San Diego’s economy is all important in providing jobs and enabling people to make San Diego their home. Forbes Magazine calls San Diego “a Cinderella story of the U.S. economy,” referring to research by the Milken Instutitue, revealing that San Diego has one of the broadest arrays of technology clusters in the country. Significant studies underway at San Diego’s world-class universities and institutes, and a steady supply of graduating scientists and engineers, have helped fuel the region’s reputation for aggressive, diverse, and innovative research in a variety of fields.

With 600 firms in San Diego’s continuously-growing communications industry, the area deserves its nickname of “wireless capital of the world.” Some of those standout companies include QUALCOMM, Motorola, LG and Nokia.
The strength of the county’s defense industry has been renowned for generations. The region is home to several major military facilities and has the largest concentration of military personnel in the country. With a budget of $4.6-billion, the Space and Naval Warfare systems Center (SPAWAR) contributes huge amounts of money to San Diego’s economy each year.
San Diego is home to one of the country’s most important biotech communities, known for its innovative and profound medical advancements.
The University of California at San Diego houses one of the country’s only two Supercomputer Centers, giving even more credence to the area’s role as a leader in the software and computer services industry.
The computer and electronics manufacturing industry plays a key role in the area’s economy in its production of essential components for other industries. The availability of skilled workers here ensures that San Diego will remain on the cutting edge of computer technology for some time to come.
Ranked as the 20th largest agriculture producer in the nation, San Diego County enjoys a special niche in crops such as avocados, exotic flowers and decorative plants. Nursery and flower crops, whose beauty draws tourists and residents each year, account for two-thirds of the production value.
San Diego’s tourist industry has continued to grow in past years, despite a decline in tourism nationwide since 2001. The region is ranked in the top ten most popular destinations in the continental United States for international visitors and is considered one of the most desirable year-round vacation spots in the travel industry.

Assets
For those who aren’t satisfied with San Diego’s natural wonders, there are myriad cultural events and sports activities throughout the year. The city is home to a plethora of art, science and historical museums, with many located in one of the area’s most popular destinations, Balboa Park. The internationally acclaimed Old Globe Theatre, the award-winning La Jolla Playhouse, the San Diego Symphony, the San Diego Opera, the San Diego Repertory Theatre and a variety of superb neighborhood theatres are sure to enrich the lives of all who walk through their doors. San Diego County is also home to the world famous San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Legoland and the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Popular destinations include Mission Bay, Old Town, Little Italy, the Gaslamp District, San Diego Missions, the Point Loma Lighthouse and the Palomar Observatory.

Sporting Events
Sports enthusiasts will enjoy San Diego Charger football games at Qualcomm Stadium, or the San Diego Padres, who now host baseball games in the city’s newest source of pride, Petco Park. The new ballpark joins enticing restaurants, nightclubs, theatres, shops and new condominiums in a revitalized and constantly growing downtown. Head south and you will find the ARCO Olympic Training Center in the city of Chula Vista, one of only three such facilities in the country. Not only do the nation’s best athletes take advantage of the county’s temperate climate, adults and children can engage in recreational and competitive sports every month of the year.

Education
Advertisers who seek intelligent clients will be happy with their San Diego audience. The area is home to the University of California at San Diego in La Jolla, San Diego State University, and Cal State San Marcos. These public institutions offer some of the finest educational opportunities in the country. In addition to dozens of small private colleges and universities including the University of San Diego, Point Loma Nazarene and the Thomas Jefferson School of Law, the area is home to five community college districts.

People
One of San Diego’s finest assets is its culturally diverse population. An influx of people from nearly every corner of the globe makes this a most interesting and cosmopolitan region. With historical roots in Mexico, the county enjoys a decidedly Hispanic influence. Mexican and Spanish architecture, food and fashion are in plentiful supply. San Diego’s proximity to Mexico and the ever-increasing population of Tijuana, make its economic market significantly larger than what is reflected by the resident population. Advertisers can be successful here in two languages, and businesses can take advantage of trade opportunities associated with the passage of NAFTA (North American Trade Agreement.)

Transportation
According to the 2003 National Household Travel Survey, personal transportation has transformed dramatically, reflecting changes in family structure and the make-up of the working population in the last forty years. Tremendous increases in private vehicle use and vehicle availability have occurred around the country and San Diego is no exception. The 2000 Census revealed that 17.5% of San Diego households have 3+ cars, with 40% having 2 per household.

Approximately 87% of all San Diegans commute to work in a car and it’s taking them longer to get there. While San Diego has spent millions of dollars improving and expanding its mass transportation systems, including the San Diego Trolley and the high speed rail “Coaster”, there are still many more miles that San Diegans must navigate each day in their cars. A 2005 study published by the Texas Transportation Institute says that San Diegans have had the sixth largest increase in hours of traffic delay among all cities in the country over the last twenty years.

Growth in non-work travel has changed the landscape of peak traffic periods, a trend that is expected to continue. A burgeoning population relying on cars for work, entertainment and daily errands, combined with diminishing highway funds, translates to congested freeways during morning and evening commutes, and heavy traffic all day long on most major arteries.

And while “waiting in traffic” can be considered a frustration for motorists, it makes Radio advertising the most reliable way to reach San Diegans. That’s where advertisers can find “captive” consumers who tune in for music, news, sports, and a connection with their favorite on-air personalities.

Living the Good Life
While most San Diegans eventually take their lives in “paradise” for granted, visitors instantly appreciate the unique advantages the population here enjoys everyday. For twelve months a year the climate invites residents to jump on their bicycles, grab their surf boards, strap on their roller blades and “drive with the top down.” It makes for an active, healthy and mobile population, and it creates the perfect environment for Radio…a natural companion for San Diegans on the go.

Source: SAN DIEGO RADIO BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION