Edison Research presented the result of its The Infinite Dial 2023 study during a webinar on Thursday (3/2). It represented the 25th anniversary of the study that Edison says is “the longest-running survey of digital media consumer behavior in America.” When the study debuted in 1998, 31% of Americans had internet access compared with 95% in 2023. In 1998, half of households had a computer, compared with 91% of Americans in 2023 who carry a computer – a smartphone – with them all the time. Other findings from this year’s edition of the study include: 1) 75% of Americans 12+ have listened to online audio in the last month; 2) Among U.S. adults age 18+ who have ridden in a car in the last month, 37% are listening to online audio in the car, up from 32% last year; 3) 42% of Americans 12+ have listened to a podcast in the last month, a new all-time high and up from 38% in 2022; and 4) 38% of U.S. adults age 18+ who have ridden in a car in the last month say they listen to podcasts in the car, up from 32% in 2022. Edison Research VP Megan Lazovick says, “After two previous annual studies that showed clear effects from the COVID-19 disruptions, the trends in audio and social media habits seem to be back on pattern. The growth of online audio and podcasting to record high levels is exciting to reveal.” See more about the study here.