Strong Radio, Podcast and Audio Consumption in New Zealand

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, November 17, 2022

Edison Research

73% of those age 16+ in New Zealand have listened to AM/FM radio, 70% have listened to online audio and 30% have listened to a podcast in the last week, according to The Infinite Dial 2022 New Zealand, a study of digital media consumer behavior from U.S.-based Edison Research. The Infinite Dial began in 1998, is the longest-running study of its kind in the U.S., and has since expanded to six countries.

The study surveyed over 1,300 New Zealand residents age 16+ on a variety of measures including online digital audio platforms, radio, smart speakers, podcasts, and more.

Weekly radio usage among New Zealanders (73% of those age 16+) is higher than Canada (62%) and the U.S. (56%). New Zealanders are also more likely to have a radio in their household (73%) compared to those age 16+ in the U.S. (61%).

Thirty percent of New Zealanders are weekly podcast listeners, outpacing the U.S., Canada, and Australia, each at 26%. Monthly podcast listeners in New Zealand subscribe to an average of four podcasts.

Weekly online audio listeners in New Zealand (70%) spend an average of nine hours and 24 minutes per week with online audio. Weekly online audio listeners age 16-34 spend 10 hours and 24 minutes with online audio.

Key findings among New Zealanders age 16-34 include: 99% own a smartphone, 26% own a smart speaker, 86% have listened to online audio in the last week, and 41% have listened to a podcast in the last week. Despite the availability of digital audio, the majority of young New Zealanders are still choosing radio, as 69% have listened to radio in the past week.

When consuming media in car, 81% of New Zealanders currently ever use AM/FM radio, which is on par with the U.S. (80%). Lagging a bit behind the U.S. is podcast consumption in-car, 21% compared with 32% in the U.S., and online audio consumption in-car, 20% compared with 42% in the U.S.

Twenty percent of New Zealanders own a smart speaker. Fourteen percent own a Google Home, 10% own an Amazon Alexa, and 2% own an Apple HomePod.

"We are thrilled to bring The Infinite Dial to New Zealand. The findings reveal a media environment rich in audio usage and device ownership, and we look forward to a variety of industries in the country using this data to advance their business," said Edison Research President Larry Rosin.