Podcast audience growth

Remember when podcasts were modest audio files created and distributed by a handful of enterprising geeks? My, how times have changed. I still find it odd when I'm listening to a show on NPR or watching ESPN and I hear the announcer say, "You can hear more on our podcast." It's surreal.

Research firm eMarketer has released projections of what the future podcast audience might look like, in size at least. Citing the portability and "...anywhere, anytime" aspect of podcasting as catalysts for continued growth, they expect to see numbers around the 80 million mark for active listeners by 2010. Wow.

Of course, this can only mean advertisers will become interested, creating more podcasts. It's a runaway train.

[Via Micro Persuasion]

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Source: http://www.emarketer.com/Report.aspx?podcasting_mar06

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Analysis / Opinion Podcasting

Remember when podcasts were modest audio files created and distributed by a handful of enterprising geeks? My, how times have changed. I...

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defwheezer

What some of the more cynical posts seem to overlook is the awesome DIY participatory nature of podcasts- anyone can make one, and there are lots of very high quality, commercial free, amateur 'casts out there. One of the key things that is going to drive the growth of this type of media is access to broadband (still very spotty in the US). If only the regulators and their corporate masters/clearchannels allow for cheap and accessible broadband as a basic right (to information) and not a privilege of the relatively few who afford it.

March 02 2006 at 1:45 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Random

Oooh, I can't wait for the advertisers to take note. Paid commercials on podcasts... A Coca-Cola ad every five minutes, Roto-Rooter cutting between segments on NPR's podcast. It could be like AM radio for your iPod.

What I'd like to see is podfomercials. Ron Popeil demonstrating the latest greatest Ronco Product through your earbuds. You can hear how well the Vac 3000 vacuums up the dirt on this carpet. And how about that chicken in our RotoCrisp? Ooooh. Don't those sizzles and pops sound delicious? You wouldn't believe how golden that skin looks folks. Now excuse us while we cut to commercial break... Pepsi lalalala Brown & Bubbly....

March 02 2006 at 9:50 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Billy

Derek you seems to have a very narrow vision of podcast, there are many many great podcasts.
If you think the reason for podcasting popularity
is because of 2 podcasts, you are very wrong.
There are even sites that list only the best podcast,
and I've heard over 100 podcast that are of equal quality and have excellent content...

March 02 2006 at 9:36 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Andrew Herron

Personally I don't think the 100 million listener march will take 4 years, the growth is going to be exponential.

March 02 2006 at 1:07 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Brendan Sheehan jnr

50 million, 80 million, 700 trillion!

I say a load of bull, nobody knows what the numbers will be by 2010!
To say 50 million no matter what market research, is done, it's still a guess.

But if was forced to say a number, I would say 80 million is way to small a number. there was over 30 million iPod sold last year. This thing is just getting started!

Anybody can an analyst!

March 01 2006 at 10:13 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Derek

I attribute this entirely to the Ricky Gervais Show, and NPR's "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me." They're two of the most popular non-video podcasts (I think vidcasts are inherently niche and alienating...for now), and they're the only two that I've heard that are worthy of dedicated, regular listening. They inspired me to look for other podcasts to enjoy...but nothing else has been up to their high standards.

March 01 2006 at 9:15 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply