As the global boom in podcasting continues, new research has revealed that there are 1.3 million regular podcast listeners in the UAE. That’s according to new statistics released today by markettiers MENA, broadcast specialist and supported by global podcasting consultancy 4DC from a first-of-its-kind study into the podcast landscape of the UAE.
The results have revealed a nation that values the story-telling nature of the podcast medium, with 16% of the adult population tuning into podcasts at least once a week.
Initial results also reveal nine in 10 (92%) of regular podcast listeners trust podcasts more than traditional media. Podcast listeners’ trust slightly drops to 89% for radio and 86% for TV. Perhaps unsurprisingly, social media fares worst in the trust stakes, with only 72% saying they trust what they find on these platforms. Ultimately podcast listeners trust the medium more than any other form of media.
A selection of results were revealed at the latest MEPRA member event, Podcasts 101, with the full report due for release in August.
Mike Fairburn, of Sony Music Entertainment Middle East and panelist at the Podcast 101 event, referenced the clear appetite and potential for the podcast scene to grow in the region as mobile connectivity and pricing, access and awareness of podcast stores, and engagement with the creative community opened up. Mike Fairburn went on to say ‘the opportunity will be around empowering and supporting creative talents to drive the industry forward through engaging, relevant and informative podcast formats.’
Managing Director of markettiers MENA, Cheryl King comments, “the trust that podcast listeners place in the content they are listening to, represents a huge opportunity that brands shouldn’t ignore. Although the podcast scene in the region is still in its relative infancy, it is clear that it is primed to take off, and forward-thinking brands can get ahead of the curve and capitalise on the appetite for this medium which is undergoing a renaissance like we’ve never seen before.”
The preview data has been released ahead of the full markettiers UAE podcasting report – the first dedicated report looking into the podcast habits of the UAE.
