AM/FM Radio has long been well-served by the news/talk format. That remains true in 2024, but podcasting has narrowed the gap.
According to the latest Edison Research Share of Ear study, 43% of spoken word audio listening is done on terrestrial radio. 36% is now done with on-demand podcasts, up from 13% in 2017.
“Podcasting’s share of spoken word will almost surely surpass that of AM/FM within a few more years,” the company forecasts.
In the study, it also revealed that the broadcast radio advantage still rests with listeners older than 65, but has already been surpassed by younger demographics.
From respondents 13-64, 41% listen to spoken word in podcast form compared to 39% for AM/FM radio. But for those 65+, it’s still a 66%-13% advantage for broadcasting.
