Audio Reports from MIDiA Research

Audio’s entertainment value
Examining audio listeners’ cross-entertainment lives

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Rutger Rosenborg

February 2025

Typically, the marketing team for a games company or TV show would not be thinking of audiobooks and podcast listeners as a key consumer segment to address. Yet, podcast and audiobook listeners are digitally...

Before and after podcasts
Mapping the podcast listener journey

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Rutger Rosenborg

January 2025

US

UK

France

The global importance of video for podcasting extends into the unique market dynamics of the US, UK, France, Mexico, and Japan. Not only does this justify Spotify’s strategic video push, but it also...

Visionary audio
Unlocking the power of video in podcasting

Rutger Rosenborg

November 2024

brand partnerships

spotify podcasts

podcast creators

YouTube may be the only viable platform for long-form video podcasts, but that does not mean audio-first podcast platforms should abandon video. Instead, podcast platforms should leverage video both as...

Socioeconomics of podcast listening
Engaging a higher value audience

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Rutger Rosenborg

October 2024

Creators

Subscriptions

Radio

Podcasts alone will struggle to monetise via subscriptions, leaving advertising as podcasts’ key source of revenue for the foreseeable future. However, podcasts do attract high-earning, high-spending...

From casual listeners to podcast purists
Mapping podcast platform preferences

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Rutger Rosenborg

September 2024

Audience Insight

Consolidation has arrived in audio. As some tech companies turn to a multi-format strategy to keep users engaged, it becomes more difficult for single-format platforms to compete for the same subscriber...

Audio psychographics
Understanding why people listen

Rutger Rosenborg

July 2024

Audience Insight

With so much content competing for consumers' attention, it is not enough to just give them ways to spend their limited resources (time and money). Audio companies must also give consumers reasons to do...

Defining podcast taste
The universal appeal of music, news, and comedy

Rutger Rosenborg

June 2024

Business Strategy

While the epicentre of podcasting revenue is in the West, the listener base has become truly global. According to MIDiA’s podcast forecasts, Asia Pacific already accounts for three times as many podcast...

MIDiA Research 2024–2030 global podcast forecasts
Road to a $10 billion business

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Mark Qi and Rutger Rosenborg

March 2024

Business Strategy

The temporary digital consumption boom of the pandemic gave way to an inflationary landscape fuelled by global supply chain issues and geopolitical crises. While inflation levelled out in 2023, the residual...

Audiobook consumer profile
A focused, engaged niche

Kazia Rothwell

February 2024

Key data and insights included in this report: Audiobook user snapshot, behaviours and demographics compared to the average consumer Change in time spent and listenership of audiobooks compared to other...

Audio substitute threat
Measuring consumer time allocation

Rutger Rosenborg

February 2024

Streaming

cannibalization

Radio

All forms of entertainment compete not only for the same time, but increasingly for the same digital real estate. As audio streaming platforms move towards all-in-one access to multiple formats, both platforms...

Radio future vision
Build the new and transform the old

Annie Langston

October 2023

Business Strategy

Despite extensive efforts by radio broadcasters to redress the digital shift with offerings like podcasts and streaming apps, radio’s audience continues to fall. The fundamental question is: how does...

Music’s podcast potential
Focus on branding over discovery

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Annie Langston

August 2023

Labels

Streaming

Artists

In this hyper-fragmented entertainment consumption space, artists and labels must use every tool available to break out above the noise. Artists must diversify their content to not only promote their music,...

Radio WAUs
Blurring broadcast lines

Annie Langston

July 2023

Spotify

Radio

iHeart

Introduction The radio industry has traditionally thought in terms of monthly audiences and reach rather than engagement. It is time for the radio industry to start thinking in terms of weekly engagement...

US SVOD consumer podcast engagement
Audio is the new spinoff

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Annie Langston

June 2023

Apple

Spotify

As consumer attention fragments across platforms and content types, it is increasingly important for both streaming subscription video services and podcast creators to maximise their content reach. For...

Podcasts and gamers
How audio can propel the gaming universe

Annie Langston and Kazia Rothwell

May 2023

Spotify

YouTube

The rise of games-inspired content is taking entertainment by storm. This illustrates the power of not only games content itself, but the fandoms that keep it alive, revealing an audience for other entertainment...

Podcasts and music streaming
Mirrored growth

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Annie Langston

April 2023

Apple

iTunes

The economic recession, and related layoffs at major podcasting divisions, have some questioning the future of the format. However, podcasts are following a similar trajectory as music did in its transition...

Podcasts and radio
How radio can play by its own rules

Annie Langston

March 2023

Spotify

live

Radio

Radio set the stage for music streaming and podcasts, only to watch them take portions of its audience. However, there is a clear opportunity for radio companies to assert themselves in the podcast market,...

Podcast videos
Format blurring expands podcasts’ future

Annie Langston

February 2023

Creators

Apple

Spotify

Podcasts are breaking out of traditional audio and entering the video space, as nearly a quarter of consumers now watch podcast videos monthly. Visual elements for podcasts are becoming a crucial tool...

Audiobook consumer profile
Following in podcasts’ footsteps

Annie Langston

January 2023

Apple

Spotify

YouTube

The audiobook market is at an important stage of its evolution. Similar to podcasts, the niche format is trying to grow amid heightened competition for consumers’ time and attention, while the looming...

The global podcast opportunity
Unlocking format growth

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Annie Langston

November 2022

sweden

Spotify

While mainstream media tends to focus on podcast growth in Western territories, understanding digital-audio consumption on a global scale will be key to future growth. Each territory has unique listener...

Reports: Audio