Americans now listen to podcasts more often than talk radio, study shows

Source: TechCrunch

Podcasts have officially overtaken AM/FM talk radio as the more popular medium for spoken‑word audio in the United States, according to the Edison Research Share of Ear survey.

Podcast vs. Talk Radio

• Over the past decade, the percentage of time people spend listening to podcasts has consistently risen, while time spent on spoken‑radio broadcasts has declined.
• In 2024, podcasts captured 40 % of spoken‑word listening time, edging out radio’s 39 % for the first time.
• This comparison excludes music listening on the radio, highlighting the durability of traditional talk radio even as podcasts grow.

Image credit: Edison Research

The Rise of Video Podcasts

Edison Research confirmed that its statistics include video podcasts. The growing prevalence of video podcasts is evident on platforms such as Spotify and YouTube.

• Netflix is partnering with iHeartMedia and Barstool Sports to bring podcasts to its streaming service, positioning them as a modern counterpart to daytime talk shows.
• YouTube reported that viewers watched 700 million hours of podcasts each month in 2025 on living‑room devices (e.g., TVs), up from 400 million the previous year.

Despite the surge in video consumption, audio‑first listening remains strong.

Listener Preferences

• Triton Digital’s U.S. Podcast Report 2025 found that 80 % of U.S. consumers aged 18+ tune into both audio and video podcasts; 13 % listen only to audio, and 7 % watch only video.
• Genre preferences differ:
  • Video‑friendly genres: music, sports, comedy, news.
  • Audio‑friendly genres: science, history, arts, fiction, true crime.

Edison’s data align with these trends:

• 85 % of weekly U.S. podcast listeners aged 13+ consume podcasts with any video component, a 7‑point increase from 2023.
• There are an estimated 115 million weekly podcast listeners in the U.S.
• Only 5 % of listeners report watching podcasts without also listening to them.