The Cumulus Media 2022 Audioscape
Key takeaways:
- 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 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 they are underrepresented
- Over the last year, Spotify surpassed Apple as the top podcast listening platform; YouTube and Apple tie for second
Audio is a huge part of life for Americans. 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. Last week, eight key findings on the smart speaker audience were covered.
This week, here are the seven key findings on the podcast audience:
1. Nearly half of all U.S. 25-54 time spent with talk/personality content now occurs via podcast, up 2X in five years
Edison’s “Share of Ear” study quantifies time spent with four types of audio: music, news, sports, and personality/talk. In 2017, 26% of persons 25-54 time spent with personality/talk content occurred on podcasts. Podcasts’ share of personality/talk time spent has doubled from 26% to 47% as of Q2 2022.
The older the demographic, the greater podcast growth rate as the platform for personality/talk. Podcasts’ share of time spent for personality/talk is up +217% among 35-64s and +83% among 25-54s.
Among 18-34s, an astonishing 60% of all personality/talk time spent occurs via podcast.
In the 1970s, it took FM ten years to grow from a 20% share of radio listening to a 50% share. It appears as if podcasts will secure a 50% share of personality/talk time spent in half the time.
2. Podcast listeners are super audio fans spending six hours a day with audio, +43% more time than the average American
Podcast listeners love audio and want more of it. They spend a stunning six hours each day with audio. Podcast listeners spend +43% more time with audio than the average.
3. 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.
4. The podcast audience profile is employed, upscale, and educated, according to Nielsen Scarborough
The podcast audience is 50% more likely to have graduated college and have a post-graduate degree. From an employment standpoint, podcast listeners are 29% more likely to be full-time employed, 39% more likely to work in a white-collar role, and 36% more likely to have a $100K+ household income.
5. Most podcast listening occurs at home throughout the day
While podcast audiences have soared, the vast majority of listening still occurs at home (67%). Podcast listening occurs throughout the day and night.
6. 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%).
According to Nielsen Scarborough, the markets with the highest incidence of podcast listening are coastal DMAs and tech hubs.
7. Over the last year, Spotify surpassed Apple as the top podcast listening platform; YouTube and Apple tie for second
According to Edison’s Q2 “Share of Ear,” 26% of podcast tuning minutes occur on Spotify, 20% on Apple, and 19% on YouTube. The “big three” platforms account for two-thirds of podcast tuning.
Thanks to Cumulus Media.
