More people listen to Podcasts on PCs than iPods

Davey Winder
Thursday, 03 July 2008 04:19

Business IT - Networking

A new survey from Radio Joint Audience Research (RAJAR) reveals that 79 percent of people listen to Podcasts on desktop or laptop computers, compared to just 66 percent who use an iPod or other MP3 player. It seems that the average Podcast user subscribes to 3.6 Podcasts, spends an hour every week listening to them, and prefers comedy and music to all other genres. Interestingly, 53 percent of those asked would not mind advertising in their Podcasts as long as they didn't have to pay for the privilege.

RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research Ltd) has just released the findings of its second survey into the Podcast and radio listening online habits of the United Kingdom population. Conducted during April and May 2008 the survey gives a unique insight into the changing listening habits of the online community.

Christel Lacaze, a research manager at RAJAR told us that the survey allows us to understand "the impact of new audio delivery formats on traditional live radio listening." There is certainly no denying the impact of the Internet when it comes to listening to the radio as far as the UK is concerned at least. In the space of just six months since the last RAJAR survey, the number of people listening online has risen by 2.5 million.

That is a 21 percent increase from 12 million to 14.5 million. In any given week 9.4 million people will listen to the radio online, either live broadcasts or by using a listen again service. That's up from 8.1 million people last November. Three quarters of the people using a listen again service said that it has absolutely no impact on the
amount of live radio to which they also listen. Just under half claimed that it meant they now listen to radio broadcasts which they would not have been listening to otherwise.

When it comes to Podcasting, the listening figures are also up. Some 6 million people have downloaded a Podcast compared to just 4.3 million six months ago, while 3.7 million people say they listen to a Podcast each and every week. This weekly listening figure jumping from 1.87 million last year.

How long does the average Podcast user spend tuning in, and on what device do they listen to those Podcasts? The answers are on the next page...

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