Report: Seven New Findings About The Podcast Audience

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Cumulus Media

While AM/FM radio dominates the audio landscape with mass reach and significant time spent, podcasts and smart speakers are fast growing platforms representing engaging environments for brands. The recently released Cumulus Media 2022 Audioscape examines the latest podcast consumer and smart speaker trends from Edison Research's "Share of Ear" Report from Q2 2022 and Nielsen Scarborough's Podcast Buying Power report. This week's Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group blog outlines seven key findings on the podcast audience.

• Nearly half of all U.S. 25-54 time spent with talk/personality content now occurs via podcast, up 2X in five years.

• Podcast listeners are super audio fans spending six hours a day with audio, +43% more time than the average American.

• The median age of the podcast audience holds at 34 despite massive audience growth. The podcast audience is twelve years younger than the median age of AM/FM radio listeners and 26 years younger than linear television where audiences have a median age of 60.

• The podcast audience profile is employed, upscale, and educated, according to Nielsen Scarborough.

• Most podcast listening occurs at home throughout the day. While podcast audiences have soared, the vast majority of listening still occurs at home (67%).

• Podcasts have opportunities for growth in markets 51+ where they are underrepresented. Nielsen Scarborough's Podcast Recontact Study finds podcast listeners are overrepresented in the top ten markets (+18%) and underrepresented in DMAs 51+ (-23%).

• Over the last year, Spotify surpassed Apple as the top podcast listening platform. YouTube and Apple tie for second.