According to The Podcast Landscape, a study conducted by NPR in collaboration with Signal Hill Insights, listeners of news podcasts tend to be better educated and more affluent than the average American. The research, based on an online survey of 5,071 U.S. adults conducted in June 2024 and recently highlighted by NiemanLab, offers a detailed look at this audience’s demographics, preferences, and listening habits.
Among the survey respondents, 43% of news podcast listeners hold a four-year college degree or higher, surpassing the 35% of the general population with similar credentials.
These listeners are also more likely to have earned a two-year degree or pursued postgraduate education, further distinguishing them from the broader populace. Financially, they outpace the average American as well, with an average annual income of $73,000 compared to $69,250 for the total population. Additionally, 36% of news podcast listeners earn over $75,000 annually, compared to 32% of all consumers, suggesting a relatively well-off and educated listener base.
This profile might imply that news podcast listeners are a discerning group, a trait reflected in their reasons for abandoning podcasts they once enjoyed.
Among those who stopped listening to a previously routine podcast, the top reasons included losing interest in the show (27%) or its topic (26%), frustration with too many ads (20%), repetitive or stale content (20%), and discovering a better alternative on the same subject (17%). Other factors included the podcast no longer being free (15%), an overload of irrelevant ads (13%), a change in host or talent (12%), or the show ceasing publication (11%). Non-news podcast listeners cited similar reasons for dropping shows, though their dissatisfaction rates were generally lower. The most significant differences appeared in complaints about excessive ads (14% for non-news listeners vs. 20% for news listeners), repetitive content (14% vs. 20%), and finding a superior alternative (9% vs. 17%).
The survey also revealed what news podcast listeners value most.
Virtually all respondents (100%) had listened to a news podcast in the prior 30 days, with additional genres like political talk (53%), comedy (39%), sports (36%), history (32%), and true crime (30%) also popular among them. In contrast, non-news listeners favored comedy (34%) and true crime (28%) as their leading genres. Weekly news podcast listeners highlighted several key benefits: 93% appreciated discussions on topics of interest, 84% valued news or political analysis, 75% enjoyed having something to listen to while driving or traveling, 74% sought business news and information, and 71% liked the companionship during walks or exercise. By comparison, only 45% of non-news listeners tuned in for news or political analysis, and 44% for business insights, underscoring a sharper focus on informational content among news podcast fans.
Listening platforms also varied. YouTube emerged as the most popular service, used by 44% of respondents, followed by Spotify (17%), Apple Podcasts (9%), and a broad “other” category (30%), which likely includes smaller or niche platforms. These preferences highlight the diversity of access points for podcast consumption.
The NPR study, conducted with Signal Hill Insights, focused on 793 participants who had consumed a news podcast in the prior month, out of the larger sample of 5,071 Americans. While the findings provide a robust snapshot of mid-2024 listening trends, the report cautions that shifts in listener behavior or market conditions might alter these patterns in 2025. Still, the data paints a picture of news podcast audiences as an engaged, educated, and selective group—one that might take pride in their sophisticated media choices.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.