Author: Nick Arias, Research & Insights Assistant, RAB
Broadcast radio plays an important role in the lives of listeners and will continue to be a part of their daily routines. Engaging with radio content matters to these listeners and as broadcast radio expands the conversation via podcasts, the combined role that radio and podcasts play as part of the audio pie becomes significantly greater.
Podcast listening has experienced significant growth. According to The Infinite Dial 2024, 192 million people have listened to a podcast representing 67% of the U.S. population versus 30% just 10 years ago. This translates to 98 million people listening to podcasts on a weekly basis (or 34%).
Many podcast listeners engage with more than one show per week. According to the Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights Podcast Spring 2024 Report, 56% of podcast listeners have listened to 1-3 shows in the past week. Thirty-seven percent have listened to 4-9 podcasts, while 6% listen to 10 or more.
Similar to broadcast radio, podcasts listeners relate to the program hosts. Nielsen’s Podcasting Today, reports 62% of podcast listeners describe the hosts as likeable and credible (42%). In today’s media landscape, trustworthiness is valued by consumers. Per a Provoke Insights custom survey, broadcast radio and podcasts are two of the top five most trusted audio sources. Survey respondents attribute radio and podcasts as trusted sources for news and information.
Despite popular misperceptions, ads on broadcast radio as well as podcasts are not intrusive. Results from a Nielsen 2023 consumer survey found that broadcast radio and podcasts have fewer commercials than visual media options – such as broadcast TV.
As audiophiles, podcast listeners engage with broadcast radio. According to MRI-Simmons, 61% of those who have listened to a podcast in the past month are also active radio listeners. Listening across devices is not unusual for this group. Sixty-two percent of those who’ve used a smart speaker to listen to podcasts, also tune into radio.
Adults who are both podcast and radio listeners tune into throughout the day. Sixty-four percent tune in from AM through PM drive while 62% tune in from 7 PM to midnight, per MRI-Simmons. Advertisers who want to reach this group should not dismiss overnights with 58% of listeners tuning in.
There is an overlap of radio listeners to podcast genres. For example, 65% of music podcast listeners tune into broadcast radio, per the same data. The following genres attract broadcast radio listeners:
- 64% of history podcasts
- 62% of comedy podcasts
- 62% of arts/culture podcasts
- 61%of political podcasts
- 60% of health/fitness/lifestyle podcasts
- 60% of educational podcasts
Both radio and podcasting play a role among sports fanatics. According to the 2024 Edison Research Sports Audio Report, 64% of sports fans listened to sports content in the last year via AM/FM radio, podcasts or satellite. Additionally, per MRI-Simmons, 62% of those who listen to sports podcasts in the past month tune into radio.
Podcasts and broadcast radio engages listeners. Continued growth of podcast listening indicates that audio plays an important role now and in the future. And as radio personalities continue to expand their on-air conversations and content beyond broadcast to via podcasts, the future is even brighter.