During the pandemic parents were trying to find new ways, at home, to keep their kids entertained so it’s hardly surprising that the latest Audio Publishers Association and Edison Research study shows that more US children are listening to audio books.
In Australia, looking at the most recent GfK Radio 360 survey, DAB+ station ABC KIDS LISTEN is also steadily increasing its audience, particularly in Sydney.
Audio entertainment for children is a market that will continue to grow as we put the kids back in the car for long journeys. I dare say many people surveyed remember the podcasts they were able to savour privately, forgetting the ones that they put on in the hopes that their offspring would ask, “are we there yet?” a little less frequently.
Speaking honestly, one of the best trips I’ve ever had was listening to Andy Griffiths’ audio book version of Just Macbeth, voiced by Stig Wemyss, who bills himself as “Australia’s most loved narrator of audio books for children and young adults”, and rightly so. I, as much as my children, didn’t want to be “there yet” till the book was finished.
Post pandemic the number of children of US audio book listening parents who are listening as well jumped from 35% to 56%. The statistic of the most surprise, as I’d previously though audio books were the domain of older people, the greatest percentage of listeners to them fall in the 18-44 age group (57%).
With much of the 10-17 age group in radio surveys probably filled in by their parents or driven by what their parents are listening to, there is clearly scope still for growth in this area, on DAB+, via podcasts and in the audio book market.
The Infinite Dial® 2023 Australia is hosting a webinar at 8:30pm EDT on Monday, 26 June 2023 (10:30am AEST on Tuesday, 27 June 2023). The study was commissioned by major sponsor Commercial Radio Australia and co-sponsors LiSTNR and Triton Digital®.
Click here to register for The Infinite Dial 2023 Australia webinar.