Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights are releasing the Podcast Download – Spring 2025 Report, what they call “a comprehensive evaluation of the latest podcast audience trends” that examines the habits of weekly podcast consumers. Cumulus says, “A key finding uncovered in the Podcast Download Report is that audio remains the primary mode of podcast consumption despite growing video options and the rise of YouTube as a podcast platform.” Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group senior insights
manager Liz Mayer says, “There is no denying that YouTube is playing an important role in the podcast ecosystem, especially when it comes to discovering new podcasts. However, over half of weekly podcast consumers indicate they consume via audio primarily. So, while the new video capabilities are exciting and need to be focused on, the industry can’t forget that it’s what consumers are hearing that is most important.” Highlights from the report include: 1) Audio remains the primary mode of podcast consumption (58%) despite growing video options; 2) YouTube is the leading podcast platform, yet it is not a walled garden as consumers listen to podcasts across multiple platforms; 3) Podcast discovery: YouTube is the place to be found; 44% of new podcast audiences started listening on YouTube; 4) Downloads and listens underestimate the actual audience: The current download impression model fails to account for co-listening; and 5) Why podcast advertising works so well: Podcasts hosts are three times more influential than social media influencers. See more about the study here.
