THE podcast market is in healthy shape. According to data from the 2023 Infinite Dial report from SXM Media and Edison Research, 47% of Americans aged 13 to 24 listened to podcasts in the previous month, an increase of 57% in five years. The number of Generation Z podcast listeners in the United States is estimated at 24 million.
On the rise
In addition to listening to podcasts in greater numbers over the years, Gen Zers are devoting more time to them. According to the results of Edison Research's Share of Ear study, 58% of the total time Gen Z spends on spoken audio is now spent on podcasts, more than double the 28% recorded among 13-24 year olds in 2018.
Today, 46% of monthly listeners aged 13-24 are female, up from 42% in 2018. Within Generation Z, one in five listeners identify as Hispanic/Latino, compared with 14% of total listeners, 15% identify as Black/African, on a par with total listeners, and 4% identify as Asian, compared with just 3% among total podcast listeners in the US.
Listening can top 10 hours a week
The generation's listeners are also very loyal, especially those who start young. According to the study findings, those who get into podcasts at a younger age are likely to be more devoted to the format as they grow up. Six in ten Gen Zers started listening to podcasts in their teens, and 16% before the age of 11. And, on average, those who get into the habit young listen for around 10.6 hours each week, compared with 7.7 hours for total Gen Z monthly listeners.
As with streaming platforms, Generation Z listeners like to binge content. Some 78% say they often binge-listen to podcasts, ie, listen to all episodes of a podcast in one sitting. Here again, younger starters are the most avid listeners. Among those who said they started listening to podcasts as children, 88% reported binge-listening to podcasts. – ETX Daily Up, June 9, 2023
*Study of over 1,000 online interviews conducted with American monthly podcast listeners aged 13 to 24, in April 2023.
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