Radio and podcasts are still popular among Kiwi listeners according to the recently released findings of New Zealand’s first The Infinite Dial 2022 survey.
The long-running survey, which began in the U.S. in 1998 is a comprehensive study of digital media consumer behaviour from Edison Research, found that in the last week 73 percent of those age 16+ in New Zealand have listened to AM/FM radio, 70 percent have listened to online audio, and 30 percent have listened to a podcast.
The study surveyed over 1,300 New Zealand residents age 16+ on a variety of measures including online digital audio platforms, radio, smart speakers, podcasts, and more.
Weekly radio use among New Zealanders is higher than in Canada (62 percent) and the U.S. (56 percent) and New Zealanders are more likely to have a radio in their household (73 percent) compared to those age 16+ in the U.S. (61 percent).
The survey also found that 30 percent of New Zealanders are weekly podcast listeners, which is more than the U.S., Canada, and Australia, each of which are at 26 percent.
As for online audio, 70 percent of New Zealanders are listening to an average of a nine hours and 24 minutes per week. This audio is most popular with listeners aged 16-34 who are racking up 10 hours and 24 minutes of online audio listening.
Ninety-nine percent of this younger age group were also found to own a smartphone but only 26 percent own a smart speaker.
Smart speakers haven’t quite taken off the same way here as they have in the other surveyed countries with only 20 percent of those surveyed across all age ranges owning one.
Eighty-six percent of those aged 16-34 have listened to online audio in the last week and 41 percent are checking out at least one podcast. However, despite digital radio being available to them, the majority of young people are still choosing radio with 69 percent having tuned in the past week.
The survey also uncovered that Kiwis are avid car radio listeners with 81 percent currently using AM/FM radio while driving. This is just over American listening habits with 80 percent tuning in while in the car.
New Zealanders are slightly behind in podcast listening while driving with 21 percent taking the time to push play, versus 32 percent in the United States. Online audio listening in-car for Kiwis came in at 20 percent compared to 42 percent in the U.S.
“We are thrilled to bring The Infinite Dial to New Zealand. The findings reveal a media environment rich in audio usage and device ownership, and we look forward to a variety of industries in the country using this data to advance their business,” says Larry Rosin, Edison Research President.
