While accustomed to living in the cultural shadow of the U.S., Canadians are happy to listen to homegrown podcasts, according to new data released from The Canadian Podcast Listener (CPL) study, conducted by Audience Insights Inc. and Ulster Media with support from TPX (The Podcast Exchange).
CPL’s findings indicate that on average, monthly podcast listeners say that 40% of their podcast listening is comprised of Canadian podcasts. However, fewer than one-third (30%) of the Top 50 podcasts with the greatest monthly reach were Canadian. Of the 15 Canadian podcasts appearing in the Top 50:
- Most – a total of nine – were not original podcasts, but rather time-shifted programming already broadcast on CBC Radio One or its French-language equivalent ICI Radio-Canada Première
- Two were original podcasts from private broadcasters
- One was an original podcast from the CBC
- Three were original podcasts from independent publishers
CPL also found that those listeners with the most voracious appetite for podcasts are much less likely to listen to as many Canadian shows. Among podcast listeners who listen to at least five hours of podcasts a week, just over a third (34%) of the podcasts they listen to are Canadian, with 56% originating in the U.S. When looking at listeners aged 18-34, on average, Canadian podcasts accounted for just 34% of episodes listened to, compared to 54% of listeners aged 55 or older.
French Canadian podcast listeners are more likely to devote a higher proportion of their podcast listening to Canadian podcasts, with the average Francophone saying that nearly two-thirds of the podcasts they listen to are Canadian. However, Jeff Vidler, president of Audience Insights Inc., says the finding is somewhat deceptive.
“French Canadian podcast listeners are actually much less likely to be regular podcast listeners than their counterparts in English Canada, and much of that can be attributed to the lack of in-language content,” says Vidler.
“Of all the podcasts you listen to, about what proportion would you say are from… ?”
|
Average % of podcast listened to |
All podcast listeners |
18-34 |
35-54 |
55+ |
English Canada |
French Canada |
Power listeners (listen to 5+ hrs of podcasts/week) |
|
From the U.S. |
50% |
56% |
47% |
35% |
45% |
22% |
56% |
|
From Canada |
40% |
34% |
44% |
54% |
36% |
65% |
34% |
|
From Britain |
5% |
4% |
5% |
7% |
5% |
2% |
4% |
|
From France |
2% |
2% |
2% |
1% |
1% |
7% |
2% |
|
Elsewhere |
4% |
4% |
4% |
3% |
4% |
4% |
4% |
*The Canadian Podcast Listener 2018
The Canadian Podcast Listener 2018 is based on a representative sample of 3,000+ Canadian adults and 1,500+ monthly podcast listeners from Maru Voice Canada, Canada’s premier online access panel. The Canadian Podcast Listener 2019 is in field this June, with initial results to be released this summer.
Subscribe Now – Free!
Broadcast Dialogue has been required reading in the Canadian broadcast media for 25 years. When you subscribe, you join a community of connected professionals from media and broadcast related sectors from across the country.
The Weekly Briefing from Broadcast Dialogue is delivered exclusively to subscribers by email every Thursday. Itís your link to critical industry news, timely people moves, and excellent career advancement opportunities.
Letís get started right now.
