Podcasts might be the next big trend in Taiwan, a survey showed.
The study conducted by podcast platform Soundon said that the number of podcast programs last year increased by about 300, while the first half of this year has seen 870 more programs, adding that the first podcasts have been established as early as 2000.
The podcast scene grows by 100 programs per month, it said, adding that the total number of programs in Taiwan is 1,336.
The majority of new programs can be grouped into two categories — fashion and arts, or society and culture, Soundon said, adding that the growth in news and personal optimization programs remains low.
However, Soundon estimates that such programs would see more demand in the coming years.
Eighty percent of listeners favor talk show formats, the platform’s statistic showed.
While the majority of podcast listeners is female — about 60 percent — the average age of the audiences is between 23 and 32, with more than 95 percent of listeners having a college degree, Soundon said.
At least 50 percent of those listening to podcasts tune in at least five days a week, with an average daily listening time of 31 minutes to an hour, it added.
The podcast medium has taken off within the past two years, as 90 percent of participants in the survey have started listening within this time frame, Soundon said.
Compared with YouTube viewers, podcast audiences appear to be more loyal, with 95 percent of respondents having a preferred program and 70 percent willing to introduce friends or family to their favorite show.
Soundon cited 60 to 80 percent of the respondents as saying that they usually listen to the entirety of a podcast episode — 20 percent more compared with YouTube.
Podcast listeners are also more willing to pay for content, with 60 percent inclined to subscribe to channels and 50 percent saying that they have paid for content before, Soundon said.
About 85 percent of respondents said they do not mind product placement advertising, it added.
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