Pew Research Center's Journalism Project https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/ Journalism & Media Wed, 16 Aug 2023 13:30:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.1 https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2018/09/favicon_128x128.png?w=32 Pew Research Center's Journalism Project https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/ 32 32 151703680 A Profile of the Top-Ranked Podcasts in the U.S. https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2023/06/15/a-profile-of-the-top-ranked-podcasts-in-the-u-s/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 15:48:36 +0000 https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/?p=97309 True crime is the most common topic, making up 24% of top-ranked podcasts; 15% of the top podcasts focus on news. The next most common topics are politics and government (10%); entertainment, pop culture and the arts (9%); and self-help and relationships (8%).

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]]> 97309 1. Podcast topics https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2023/06/15/podcast-topics/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 15:48:37 +0000 https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/?p=97311 While podcasts cover a broad range of topics, true crime is by far the most common topic of top-ranked podcasts. About a quarter of top podcasts (24%) are primarily about true crime – often investigations into murders, scandals and other criminal acts. Many of these focus on a single crime across the series, such as […]

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]]> 97311 2. How podcasts connect with their audiences https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2023/06/15/how-podcasts-connect-with-their-audiences/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 15:48:38 +0000 https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/?p=97313 Finding and maintaining an audience for a podcast can be challenging, so most podcasts make their content widely available. The vast majority of top-ranked podcasts studied are available on several major listing sites, with few podcasts exclusive to one site. Nearly all top podcasts (99%) are available on Spotify, and roughly nine-in-ten top podcasts are […]

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]]> 97313 3. Podcast ownership and funding https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2023/06/15/podcast-ownership-and-funding/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 15:48:38 +0000 https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/?p=97315 A popular perception of podcasting suggests that anyone can start a podcast, enabling independent voices to reach large audiences. But running a podcast and getting an audience can be both time-consuming and expensive, with costs relating to equipment as well as advertising, guest booking, research and other expenses. Top-ranked podcasts often make money from advertising […]

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]]> 97315 4. Podcast format https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2023/06/15/podcast-format/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 15:48:39 +0000 https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/?p=97317 Podcast hosts use a mix of formats and structures to tell stories, convey information and hold discussions. These approaches differ in a number of ways, including the number of hosts and the overall format – such as an interview-based show vs. one centered around reporting or commentary – as well as the frequency and length […]

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]]> 97317 5. Podcasts and news https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2023/06/15/podcasts-and-news/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 15:48:39 +0000 https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/?p=97319 The vast majority of top-ranked podcasts do not focus primarily on news and current events: 15% of the podcasts examined in this study are focused on news. That said, news is a common part of the podcast experience for the majority of listeners – two-thirds of U.S. podcast listeners said in the 2022 survey that […]

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]]> 97319 Acknowledgments https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2023/06/15/podcasts-audit-acknowledgments/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 15:48:39 +0000 https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/?p=97321 Pew Research Center is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts, its primary funder. This is the latest report in Pew Research Center’s ongoing investigation of the state of news, information and journalism in the digital age, a research program funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, with generous support from the John S. and James […]

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]]> 97321 Appendix A: Detailed tables https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2023/06/15/podcasts-audit-appendix-a-detailed-tables/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 15:48:40 +0000 https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/?p=97323 The post Appendix A: Detailed tables appeared first on Pew Research Center's Journalism Project.

]]> 97323 Appendix B: List of top-ranked podcasts https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2023/06/15/appendix-b-list-of-top-ranked-podcasts/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 15:48:41 +0000 https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/?p=97394 Names of the 451 top-ranked podcasts included in this report

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]]> 97394 Methodology https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2023/06/15/podcasts-audit-methodology/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 15:48:41 +0000 https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/?p=97401 This study takes a close look at key characteristics of podcasts. It is a part of Pew Research Center’s examination of the role of podcasts in the news and information environment in the U.S. Researchers conducted an audit of 451 “top-ranked podcasts,” which are English-language podcasts that appeared on top podcast charts regularly in the […]

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