Podcasts continue to grow as a daily information source for Americans, with Pew Research Center’s latest survey showing that 32% of US adults now get news from the medium. Just a half-decade ago, only 22% reported turning to podcasts for news.
Overall, 54% of US adults say they listened to a podcast in the past 12 months, up from 49% in 2022. Younger audiences are driving the growth: 67% of adults ages 18–29 report podcast listening, more than double the 33% of adults ages 65 and older.
When it comes to news specifically, the generational gap is clear. Nearly four-in-ten adults under 50 (39%) say they often or sometimes get news from podcasts, compared with 24% of those 50 and older. College-educated adults are also more likely to use podcasts for news than those with only a high school diploma.
However, trust in podcast news is mixed.
Among adults who use podcasts as a news source, 53% say they trust what they hear as much as news from other outlets. Roughly a quarter (23%) say they trust podcast news more, while the same share say they trust it less. The data shows partisan differences: 31% of Republicans and independents who lean Republican say they trust podcast news more than other sources, about twice the rate of Democrats and Democratic leaners at 15%.
A 2024 study from Katz Radio Group reported that nearly eight in ten adults consider radio a trustworthy medium, making it the most trusted mass platform.
Pew also looked at what kinds of news podcasts Americans choose. A majority of podcast news consumers say they at least sometimes listen to shows that explain a topic or issue in depth. 61% say they listen to podcasts featuring opinions or commentary about current events, while 58% say they listen to programs that summarize the day’s headlines.
Despite growing usage, few Americans are paying directly for podcast news. Just 6% say they have subscribed, donated, or otherwise contributed money to a news-focused podcast in the past year. By comparison, 17% of US adults say they paid for any kind of news content during the same period.
The full findings are available via Pew Research Center.
“Nearly four-in-ten adults under 50 (39%) say they often or sometimes get news from podcasts, compared “
They may be getting stories but very dated material is not “news” and often /sometimes doesn’t ring with confidence.
Comments are closed.