Report: Seven New Findings About The Podcast Audience

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, May 1, 2023

Westwood One

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 2023 Audioscape, outlined in this week's Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group blog, examines the latest podcast consumer and smart speaker trends from Edison Research's "Share of Ear" Report from Q4 2022 and Nielsen Scarborough's Podcast Buying Power report.

• Over 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 nearly six hours a day with audio, +38% more time than the average American

• The median age of the podcast audience holds at 34 despite massive audience growth

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

• Most podcast listening occurs at home throughout the day

• Podcasts have opportunities for growth in markets 51+ where listening is underrepresented

• Over the last year, Spotify has inched past Apple as the top podcast listening platform; YouTube is a close second, and Apple is third