Reports: Audio

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Cover image for US SVOD consumer podcast engagement

US SVOD consumer podcast engagement
Audio is the new spinoff

Annie Langston

1 Jun 2023

Apple Apple Spotify

As consumer attention fragments across platforms and content types, it is increasingly important for both streaming subscription video services and podcast creators to maximise their content reach. For streaming subscription video on demand (SVOD) services, podcasts provide new opportunities to reach and retain audiences.

Cover image for Podcasts and gamers

Podcasts and gamers
How audio can propel the gaming universe

Annie Langston and Kazia Rothwell

2 May 2023

Spotify Spotify YouTube

The rise of games-inspired content is taking entertainment by storm. This illustrates the power of not only games content itself, but the fandoms that keep it alive, revealing an audience for other entertainment formats to tap into. As games aficionados over-index for a variety of podcasting behaviours, podcasts are an opportunity for games compani...

Cover image for Podcasts and music streaming

Podcasts and music streaming
Mirrored growth

Annie Langston

3 Apr 2023

Apple Apple iTunes

The economic recession, and related layoffs at major podcasting divisions, have some questioning the future of the format. However, podcasts are following a similar trajectory as music did in its transition to streaming and have reached critical mass — 26% consumer penetration — faster than music streaming subscriptions did.

Cover image for Podcasts and radio

Podcasts and radio
How radio can play by its own rules

Annie Langston

1 Mar 2023

Spotify live Radio

Radio set the stage for music streaming and podcasts, only to watch them take portions of its audience. However, there is a clear opportunity for radio companies to assert themselves in the podcast market, drawing on decades of programming expertise to retain audiences and find new ones.

Cover image for Podcast videos

Podcast videos
Format blurring expands podcasts’ future

Annie Langston

1 Feb 2023

Creators Apple Spotify

Podcasts are breaking out of traditional audio and entering the video space, as nearly a quarter of consumers now watch podcast videos monthly. Visual elements for podcasts are becoming a crucial tool to reach new audiences and engage current listeners.

Audiobook consumer profile
Following in podcasts’ footsteps

Annie Langston

4 Jan 2023

Apple Spotify YouTube

The audiobook market is at an important stage of its evolution. Similar to podcasts, the niche format is trying to grow amid heightened competition for consumers’ time and attention, while the looming recession puts subscriptions growth and retention under pressure.

Cover image for The global podcast opportunity

The global podcast opportunity
Unlocking format growth

Annie Langston

30 Nov 2022

Sweden Spotify Spotify

While mainstream media tends to focus on podcast growth in Western territories, understanding digital-audio consumption on a global scale will be key to future growth. Each territory has unique listener demographics and genre preferences that present various opportunities for podcast platforms, illustrating that podcast habits vary globally.

Cover image for Podcast market value chain

Podcast market value chain
The next investment is the listeners

Annie Langston

27 Oct 2022

Creators Apple Spotify

Investments from major audience platforms in audio infrastructure, such as hosting platforms and advertising, kickstarted the growth of the podcast market. With the basic infrastructure now in place, it is time for the major platforms to focus on growing the format by expanding listenership and user experience.

Cover image for Radio audiences

Radio audiences
A window of opportunity

Mark Mulligan, Keith Jopling, Tatiana Cirisano and Annie Langston

25 Sep 2022

Streaming Music Spotify Radio

Streaming claimed radio’s younger, music-focused audiences while podcasts are now beginning to do the same for older, spoken-word audiences. However, it is not yet determined that the impact needs to be as disruptive for radio companies. With radio audience declines slowing, and even experiencing a modest rebound, a window of opportunity exists f...

Cover image for Content is king, distribution is queen but retention is revolutionary

Content is king, distribution is queen but retention is revolutionary

Tim Mulligan and Hanna Kahlert

22 Sep 2022

Free Report

Video Music Games

Retention is the new cornerstone of subscription in an era of accelerating disruption. On the 22nd of September, 2022, at 4:30 pm BST, MIDiA's lead video analyst, Tim Mulligan, will be joined by Nada Arnot, SVP of Marketing at BritBox, Nii Mantse Addy, CMO and Head of Marketing at Philo, Nina Laricheva, CEO of Marquee TV, and Hanna Kahlert, Media a...

Cover image for Podcast monetisation and remuneration

Podcast monetisation and remuneration
Balancing creator and platform needs

Annie Langston

22 Aug 2022

Creators Apple Spotify

Audio platforms traditionally monetise through advertising and, to a lesser degree, listener subscriptions. However, with the rise of the creator economy and more creators entering the podcast space, platforms must bulk up their offerings for creator monetisation as well.

Cover image for Audio creators

Audio creators
The new creative frontier

Annie Langston

27 Jul 2022

Apple Spotify YouTube

While exclusive content deals with celebrity names signposted the audio strategy of many of the market’s big players, audience platforms are already recognising the growing importance of independent audio creators as the market develops and expands.

Cover image for Audio audiences

Audio audiences
Millennial listeners and the radio transition

Annie Langston

29 Jun 2022

Apple Spotify SiriusXM

As audio consumption steadily grows from its post-lockdown spike, it is crucial to identify the core audiences who are maintaining their listenership as the attention recession is affecting entertainment. Millennial audiences demonstrate a steady listenership to emerging audio formats while younger listeners have yet to reach consumption potential.

Cover image for The Attention Recession

The Attention Recession
How inflation and the pandemic are reshaping entertainment

Mark Mulligan, Tim Mulligan, Karol Severin, Hanna Kahlert, Tatiana Cirisano and Annie Langston

27 May 2022

Free Report

Video Music Games

With the recent announcement of the 0.2 million subscriber drop in Netflix’s Q1 2022 figures, and Spotify seeing slower paid user growth, MIDiA’s predicted attention recession has come into fruition. MIDiA’s in-house analysts take you through the key insights and trends of this new chapter and its implications across music, video, games, mark...

Cover image for Audio consumption

Audio consumption
The entertainment aficionado opportunity

Annie Langston

4 May 2022

Spotify Amazon Google

Streaming platforms are continuing their investment in podcasting despite relatively slow adoption from listeners. Identifying enthusiastic consumer segments will be crucial to accelerating audience growth. Entertainment aficionados (i.e., those who spend more than the average time and money on specific entertainment formats) in music, games, and v...

Cover image for Audio ad opportunity

Audio ad opportunity
Niche targeting unlocks attention

Annie Langston

4 May 2022

Apple Spotify YouTube

Podcast advertising is one of the key income sources for both audio platforms and creators alike. Ad agencies and platforms must go ever deeper with targeting capabilities by learning more about the other entertainment habits of audio consumers. Social...

Cover image for Audio audiences

Audio audiences
Steady change

Mark Mulligan, Tatiana Cirisano and Annie Langston

28 Feb 2022

Radio radio audiences music radio

Podcasts reinvigorated the audio market, bringing with it the promise of a ‘Netflix moment’ for radio. Though podcast audience growth has not kept pace with industry interest and hype, podcasts have been at the centre of a boom in audio consumption that was accentuated by Covid lockdowns, and that is recalibrating post-pandemic.

Cover image for Podcast audiences

Podcast audiences
Competing for attention

Mark Mulligan

20 May 2021

US UK France

2020 was a big year for podcasts, with increased investment, M&A activity and industry moves. Audiences grew too, but still lag behind in hype and expectation, and a portion of this growth has come at the direct expense of music streaming and radio.

Cover image for Podcasts Q2 2020

Podcasts Q2 2020
Spotify Takes an Early Lead

Mark Mulligan

9 Oct 2020

US UK France

Podcasts have become the next battle front for audio. Spotify’s ambitious content and product strategy have enabled it to become an early leader, but the podcast market is still in its infancy, with adoption far lower than radio or streaming music. Podcasts have greater long-term market potential than music streaming but with many divergent objec...

Cover image for Radio is Switched On Again

Radio is Switched On Again
Strategies for 2020 and Beyond

Keith Jopling and Mark Mulligan

15 May 2020

Spotify YouTube BBC

Just what is radio? Radio is branded and produced show content known best in the form of live (or pre-recorded) broadcast. However, the definition of ‘radio’ is shifting away from the broadcast format and towards the content produced – programmes or shows – made available on-demand anywhere, via radio apps, smart speakers and podcasts.

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