Lunchtime Webinar Series — Podcasting: Connection and Community During Quarantine
By Edison Research
Edison Research SVP Tom Webster presented the latest installment in our Lunchtime Webinar Series — Podcasting: Connection and Community During Quarantine on May 21, 2020.
This presentation includes previously unreleased data from the Podcast Consumer Tracker, the only comprehensive, all-inclusive measure of podcast listening in the U.S. This data was collected continuously before and during the current COVID-19 crisis, and is the industry’s only look at how podcasting’s audience, not just their downloads, has been impacted by the pandemic.
Additionally, the recording below includes videos of interviews with podcast listeners from the last few weeks, as they share their experiences with listening to podcasts during quarantine, along with new data on podcast listeners from The Infinite Dial® 2020 from Edison Research and Triton Digital.
Key findings include:
41% of weekly podcasters have had their work reduced or eliminated
The employment and work patterns of those in the U.S. age 18-34 have been affected the most by COVID-19
While those who have had their jobs reduced/eliminated are listening more, those whose work from home hours have increased are spending less time with podcasts
Desktop/laptop listening has risen as a result of quarantine. AM/FM listening by podcast listeners is down
Usage of on-demand delivery/convenience services has risen among weekly listeners
While genre consumption has begun to return to pre-quarantine levels, News and various Home and Self Improvement topics have increased significantly
