The document discusses key findings from the 2018 Digital News Report regarding podcast usage and trends. It finds that 34% of people across 22 countries listen to podcasts on a monthly basis, with usage highest among younger demographics. Popular podcast categories include specialist subjects, lifestyle, and news/politics. Emerging business models include advertising and sponsorship revenue, as well as bundling podcasts with subscriptions. Smart speakers are helping to drive audio discovery, though their usage is still low overall. The document concludes there are new opportunities for audio-on-demand content to reach niche audiences globally with low distribution costs.

1. Nic Newman, Reuters Institute for the Study of
Journalism
News Rewired 11th June 2018
@risj_oxford | #DNR18
Podcasting–
anemerging
opportunity?

2. RISJ Digital News Report 2018
Methodology
RESEARCH CONDUCTED ONLINE IN JANUARY/EARLY FEBRUARY 2018
2
Country Sample Size
Internet
penetration
USA
2401
96%
UK
2117
95%
Germany
2038
90%
France
2006
87%
Italy
2040
87%
Spain
2023
87%
Portugal
2008
72%
Ireland
2007
94%
Norway
2027
100%
Sweden
2016
93%
Finland
2012
93%
Denmark
2025
97%
Country Sample Size
Internet
penetration
Belgium
2006
88%
Netherlands
2010
95%
Switzerland
2120
89%
Austria
2010
85%
Hungary
2005
81%
Slovakia
2006
85%
Czech
Republic
2020
88%
Poland
2005
73%
Romania
2048
63%
Bulgaria
2021
60%
CroaFa
2010
74%
Greece
2014
69%
Country Sample Size
Internet
penetration
Turkey*
2019
70%
Japan
2033
93%
Korea,
South
2010
93%
Taiwan
1008
88%
Hong
Kong
2016
87%
Malaysia
2013
78%
Singapore
2018
84%
Australia
2026
88%
Canada
2022
90%
Brazil*
2007
66%
ArgenFna
2012
79%
Chile
2008
77%
Mexico*
2007
65%
Polling by Supported by

3. @risj_oxford | #DNR18
Definition
A podcast is an episodic series of digital audio files, which you
can download, subscribe, or listen to.

4. Monthly podcast consumption across countries
RISJ Digital News Report 2018 4
34% average across 22
countries
Understanding of the word podcast varies across countries …
33
18

5. Most popular podcast categories
RISJ Digital News Report 2018 5
• Specialist
subjects,
lifestyle
and
news/poliAcs
are
most
popular
categories
• Podcast
listening
tends
to
skew
male

6. Podcasts used more by the young
RISJ Digital News Report 2018 6
PROPORTION THAT USE PODCASTS/RADIO NEWS BY AGE
ALL MARKETS
Q3.
Which,
if
any,
of
the
following
have
you
used
in
the
last
week
as
a
source
of
news?
Q11F_2018.
Which
of
the
following
types
of
podcast
have
you
listened
to
in
the
last
month?
Base:
18–24/25–
34/35-­‐44/45–54/55+:
Selected
markets
=
4787/7575/8084/8566/16998.

7. When/Where do people listen to podcasts …
§ Commuting (now we have noise
cancelling headphones)
§ In the car
§ In the gym/when running
§ When cooking
§ Doing housework
RISJ Digital News Report 2018 7
“I listen when I’m cleaning the bathroom”

8. Which podcasts (UK)?
8RISJ Digital News Report 2018
1. Desert Island Discs (BBC)
2. BBC Features and Docs (various)
3. BBC Comedy (various)
4. Test Match Special (Cricket/BBC)
5. James O Brien (LBC)
6. Infinite Monkey Cage (Science/
BBC)
7. This American Life
8. No such thing as fish (QI team)
9. Kermode and Mayo (BBC film)
10. Every Little Thing
MOST MENTIONED

9. Which podcasts (US)?
9RISJ Digital News Report 2018
MOST MENTIONED
1. This American Life (Public radio)
2. Freakonomics
3. Guys we fucked (HuffPost)
4. New York Times Daily Podcast
5. Wait, wait, don’t tell me (NPR)
6. Stuff you should know
7. Bill O'Reilly
8. The Ben Shapiro Show (Daily Wire)
9. Every Little Thing
10. Joe Rogan Experience (Comedy)

10. Which podcasts (elsewhere)?
10RISJ Digital News Report 2018
FRANCE
TURKEY
In Turkey audio podcasts have become key
source of free, independent media

11. @risj_oxford | #DNR18
Business
models?

12. Emerging business models
§ Most models are free, supported by advertising or sponsorship
§ Platform control over distribution (Apple, Spotify) make it hard to charge for content
§ Advertising income is building ($200m in the US) off back of better data (80%+ listen to end)
§ But some publishers see podcasts as good tools for loyalty and for marketing
§ Early access to subscribers is being trialed by some (e.g. New York Times)
RISJ Digital News Report 2017 12

13. @risj_oxford | #DNR18
Future trends
A podcast is an episodic series of digital audio files, which you
can download, subscribe, or listen to.

14. 1%
2%
4%
5%
6%
7%
9%
Korea
Germany
UK
US
2018
2017
Smart speakers – helping with audio discovery
Voice activated speakers growing quickly from a low base
SELECTED COUNTRIES
Q8a. Which, if any, of the following devices do you ever use (for any purpose)? Please select all that apply. Showing smart speaker code. Base: All

15. 15%
18%
35%
47%
65%
67%
75%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Access podcasts
Shopping (ordering goods, saving lists)
Access latest News
Set alarms
Ask questions to get facts or info
Access latest weather
Listen to music
Smart Speaker – uses
Uses for news/information Other uses
UNITED STATES
Q8. New You say you have a smart speaker (e.g. Amazon Echo, Google Home, Apple HomePod) which of the following do you do regularly? Percents do not add to 100 due to multiple
response. N=609

16. Takeaways
New opportunities
are opening up for
audio on demand –
particularly to reach
younger audiences
Increased focus on
niches that have
previously been
hard to reach
through broadcast
Opportunities to
reach global
audiences with zero
distribution costs
Business models are
emerging. Sponsorship
and advertising – or part
of premium bundle
More
informaAon
at
digitalnewsreport.org