Research: Boomers are Podcasting’s “Opportunity Demographic”

Released Thursday by Edison Research and NPR, a new study finds that podcasting has a largely untapped audience in the age 55+ demographic. The study, “Hit Play, Boomer,” was presented in a live webinar hosted by Edison Research President Larry Rosin. 

The new data reveals that while podcast listening has grown dramatically over the last five years overall, listening among “Baby Boomers” has not grown and is at a far lower level than younger demographics. According to the report from Edison Research and NPR, Boomers have the tools and the interest to listen, but increased education and targeting are required.

“Our current estimate is that 120 million Americans age 12 and older are listening to podcasts on a monthly basis,” said Edison Research President and Baby Boomer Larry Rosin. “If Boomers’ levels of listening to podcasts matched that of younger groups, even just 35-54 year olds, that would mean these numbers would go to over 150 million monthly listeners.  Boomers have the tools to listen and the interest, now the podcast industry just needs to finish the education process.” 

Key findings, presented Thursday in a live webinar, include: 

• While a strong majority (70%) of Boomers are aware of podcasting, less than half have ever tried one. However, more than half of Boomers listen to some other form of online audio, implying immediate upside potential for podcasting.
• Boomers have the tools to listen to podcasts, with four in five owning a smartphone and more than 60% owning a smart TV.  The challenge is to get them to use these devices for podcast listening.
• Boomers who do listen to podcasts over-index for listening to news podcasts by a huge margin, and by smaller margins to history, religion, and science podcasts. Closing the technical gap and making podcast listening easier, while finding more pathways to their topics of interest, is a key.
• Those in the 55+ age group have historically shown much higher numbers for direct response advertising and for direct appeals for funding. The right programming and the right messaging can make this target attractive not only to advertisers but perhaps for subscription, donation, or other financing models.

“NPR is pleased to have sponsored this investigation into podcasting among those age 55 and older,” said Susan Leland, Director of Audience Insights at NPR. “Our mission is to serve Americans of all ages with the finest quality audio news, information, and entertainment.  Understanding where this group is today will allow us and the whole podcasting industry to open new pathways for growth among this largely untapped age group.”