Podcast agency Voxtopica’s new study reveals that registered voters in the United States are embracing podcasts as a trusted source of information.
Key findings from the report, titled “The Podcast Influence: The Listening Habits of Registered Voters 2024,” show that 85% of registered voters express confidence in podcast content compared to other media formats, with consumption among them surpassing that of the general public.
Source: Voxtopica
Nearly half (49%) of respondents identify as weekly podcast listeners, compared to 37% of the general population.
The study shows that 34% of registered voters listen to five or more podcast episodes per week, with 30% consuming eight or more episodes weekly. This high engagement level suggests that podcasts are becoming a significant media channel for reaching politically active audiences.
Content Preferences
In terms of content preferences, news-related genres dominate.
The top categories among regular podcast listeners include news (39%), society and culture (35%), history (32%), and government (31%). This trend aligns with the finding that 53% of respondents prioritize podcasts that add to their knowledge of a subject.
The report highlights the importance of podcasts as a news and information source.
When asked about their confidence in various media, 85% of respondents who listened to a podcast in the last week said they trust podcasts “somewhat” or “very much.” This compares favorably to newspapers and TV news (both 72%), AM/FM radio (71%), and social media (56%).
Listening Habits
The study also explores the reasons behind podcast listening habits.
While entertainment remains the top motivation (39% rank it as the most important), being informed about issues (33%) and educated about subjects (28%) follow closely behind.
Source: Voxtopica
Content preferences reveal an interesting trend in political podcasts. Episodes focusing on politics from neither the right nor the left are the most popular, with 60% of respondents indicating they “like it” or “love it.”
Bipartisan content (58%) and partisan content (51%) also receive positive responses, suggesting an appetite for diverse political perspectives.
Podcasts’ Influence on Public Opinion
The influence of podcasts on listeners’ opinions and actions is significant – 63% of respondents agree that podcasts change their opinions on issues or topics in the news. In comparison, 78% say podcasts influence them to learn more about these subjects.
Source: Voxtopica
This influence extends to consumer behavior, with 50% of those who listened to three or more podcast shows in the past week reporting that they have subscribed to a free service due to podcast listening.
Other actions include purchasing digital products (43%), donating to non-profit causes (40%), and purchasing physical products (37%).
The research, conducted in August 2024, surveyed 683 self-identified registered American voters aged 18 and older. The sample was weighted to represent the U.S. population’s age and gender based on the most recent census data.
Tom Webster of Sounds Profitable assisted in developing the research, adding industry expertise to the methodology.
Cecilia Carloni, Interview Manager at Influence Weekly and writer for NetInfluencer. Coming from beautiful Argentina, Ceci has spent years chatting with big names in the influencer world, making friends and learning insider info along the way. When she’s not deep in interviews or writing, she's enjoying life with her two daughters. Ceci’s stories give a peek behind the curtain of influencer life, sharing the real and interesting tales from her many conversations with movers and shakers in the space.
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Podcast agency Voxtopica’s new study reveals that registered voters in the United States are embracing podcasts as a trusted source of information.
Key findings from the report, titled “The Podcast Influence: The Listening Habits of Registered Voters 2024,” show that 85% of registered voters express confidence in podcast content compared to other media formats, with consumption among them surpassing that of the general public.
Source: Voxtopica
Nearly half (49%) of respondents identify as weekly podcast listeners, compared to 37% of the general population.
The study shows that 34% of registered voters listen to five or more podcast episodes per week, with 30% consuming eight or more episodes weekly. This high engagement level suggests that podcasts are becoming a significant media channel for reaching politically active audiences.
Content Preferences
In terms of content preferences, news-related genres dominate.
The top categories among regular podcast listeners include news (39%), society and culture (35%), history (32%), and government (31%). This trend aligns with the finding that 53% of respondents prioritize podcasts that add to their knowledge of a subject.
The report highlights the importance of podcasts as a news and information source.
When asked about their confidence in various media, 85% of respondents who listened to a podcast in the last week said they trust podcasts “somewhat” or “very much.” This compares favorably to newspapers and TV news (both 72%), AM/FM radio (71%), and social media (56%).
Listening Habits
The study also explores the reasons behind podcast listening habits.
While entertainment remains the top motivation (39% rank it as the most important), being informed about issues (33%) and educated about subjects (28%) follow closely behind.
Source: Voxtopica
Content preferences reveal an interesting trend in political podcasts. Episodes focusing on politics from neither the right nor the left are the most popular, with 60% of respondents indicating they “like it” or “love it.”
Bipartisan content (58%) and partisan content (51%) also receive positive responses, suggesting an appetite for diverse political perspectives.
Podcasts’ Influence on Public Opinion
The influence of podcasts on listeners’ opinions and actions is significant – 63% of respondents agree that podcasts change their opinions on issues or topics in the news. In comparison, 78% say podcasts influence them to learn more about these subjects.
Source: Voxtopica
This influence extends to consumer behavior, with 50% of those who listened to three or more podcast shows in the past week reporting that they have subscribed to a free service due to podcast listening.
Other actions include purchasing digital products (43%), donating to non-profit causes (40%), and purchasing physical products (37%).
The research, conducted in August 2024, surveyed 683 self-identified registered American voters aged 18 and older. The sample was weighted to represent the U.S. population’s age and gender based on the most recent census data.
Tom Webster of Sounds Profitable assisted in developing the research, adding industry expertise to the methodology.
The full report is available here.