Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA), in collaboration with Triton Digital, has unveiled the 2024 Australian Podcast Report, highlighting significant growth in podcast listenership across the nation. According to the report, podcast consumption in Australia has surged by 37% over the past two years, now reaching nearly six million weekly listeners.

The report showed that podcasts with more than 100,000 monthly downloads in Australia accounted for 63% of all downloads in 2024. 

The report further details demographic engagement, noting that 48% of Australians aged 18-34 have listened to podcasts in the past month. This is followed by 37% of those aged 35-54 and 21% of those aged 55 and above. A significant 94.2% of podcast consumption occurs on mobile devices, underscoring the medium's accessibility and convenience.

In terms of content, Society & Culture, True Crime, and News have emerged as the dominant podcast genres. True Crime, in particular, has captivated audiences, with listeners in this genre being 57% more likely to consume more than five hours of podcast content per week.

The report also highlights the top-performing podcasts of the year. 'Hamish and Andy' secured the top spot, maintaining its #1 ranking for eight months. Additionally, 'Bronwyn' was noted as the top new podcast debut.

CRA, as the peak industry body representing commercial radio broadcasters in Australia, continues to promote the effectiveness of radio and audio to advertisers. The organisation manages various industry metrics and standards, providing valuable insights into the evolving landscape of audio consumption.

Young further emphasised the potential for advertisers, stating, "As podcasting continues to evolve, it offers exceptional opportunities for advertisers to connect with audiences in meaningful and measurable ways."

The 2024 Australian Podcast Report incorporates data from Triton Digital Podcast Metrics and a survey conducted with Signal Hill Insights, offering a comprehensive overview of the current state of podcasting in Australia.

Update: This story previously cited incorrect figures provided by CRA and Triton Digital which claimed 63% of achieved over 100,000 average monthly downloads in 2024. The report has since been updated to provide further clarification, per below statements from Triton Digital and CRA.

SVP of Measurement Strategy at Triton Digital, Daryl Battaglia, said: "Earlier this week, Triton Digital provided data for the annual Australian Podcast Report, highlighting download trends in the Australian market. Since then, our team has released an updated version to clarify one slide in the report. The report now states that large podcasts—those with 100,000+ monthly downloads in Australia—account for 63% of all downloads. This figure reflects the full universe of Triton-measured podcasts with listeners in Australia. The data underscores that while the majority of impressions in a podcast advertising buy come from large podcasts, the podcasting landscape remains diverse, with a robust long tail of content. The Australian Podcast Ranker, an opt-in ranking powered by Triton’s Podcast Metrics, continues to serve as a trusted measurement standard for the industry. As we track the ongoing growth of Australia’s audio industry, we remain committed to expanding and refining our reporting." 

A CRA spokesperson said: “The data presented in the Australian Podcast Report originates from and is the sole responsibility of Triton Digital. An earlier version of the annual report, which is comprised of data from the full universe of Triton-measured podcasts with listeners in Australia, has since been updated to provide further clarification on downloads in the Australian market. CRA does not produce, alter, or control the reported data in any capacity.The press release from CRA was based on the data provided on the Triton Digital report and subject to final approvals from Triton Digital. What's important to us is ensuring the accuracy of data and the context is fully understood.”