Radio listening via the internet is growing in the UK, with more than 14 million people in the country listening to output on the web and more than 9 million downloading podcasts on a weekly basis, according to a new survey published today.
Commissioned by the industry’s audience research body Rajar, the Ipsos Mori survey conducted in April and May this year found that more than 14.5 million people have listened to the radio online and 9.4 million listen every week – either through live streaming or “listen again” services.
This means that internet listening was up by 2.5 million people on the previous survey, which was conducted in October and November 2007. In the 2007 survey, listen again use was 8.1 million in any given week, 1.3 million fewer than the latest survey’s figure.
In the latest research, Ipsos Mori found that podcast listening occured throughout the day, with an evening peak when 44% of podcast users click on the play button. A total of 83% of podcast users now listen to content that is more than a week old.
According to the survey, 6 million people in the UK have now downloaded a podcast – up from 4.3 million in November 2007. And 3.7 million now say they listen to a podcast each week, up from 1.87 million in last year’s survey.
The average podcast user subscribes to 3.6 podcasts and spends just over an hour a week listening to them. Comedy and music continue to be the two favourite genres.
iTunes remains the preferred software for almost three-quarters of users who subscribe to podcasts, while a fifth simply download directly from the website via their browser.
According to the survey, 79% of people listen to podcasts on their home computer and 66% listen via a portable audio/mp3 player.
Podcasting appears to also have a marginally positive effect on live radio listening. Almost 15% said they listened to more live radio since they began downloading podcasts.
Although podcasts were popular with listeners, media organisations have found difficulty turning them into significant moneyspinners.
However, 53% of respondents to the latest Rajar survey said they would be interested in downloading podcasts containing advertising if they were free.
Only 31% responded positively to the idea of podcasts without adverts that had to be paid for.
The survey was conducted online and sampled 863 people.
“Now in its second instalment, this survey gives a unique insight into the behaviour of the online/offline audio community and the impact of new audio delivery formats on traditional live radio listening,” said the Rajar research manager, Christel Lacaze.
“It also provides perspective on the relative impact of each of these activities.”