Some 9.2 million Web users, or 6.6% of U.S. adults that go online, have downloaded an audio podcast, with 5.6 million users, or 4% of the online population, having downloaded a video podcast in the last 30 days, according to new research by Nielsen//NetRatings.
“The portability of podcasts makes them especially appealing to young, on-the-go audiences,” said Michael Lanz, analyst, Nielsen//NetRatings, in a statement. “We can expect to see podcasting become increasingly popular as portable content media players proliferate.
And the field is about to get much more crowded, with the announcement this week that Microsoft will be marketing a competitor to Apple’s iPod.
Eighteen- to 24-year olds that use the Web are nearly twice as likely as the average Web user to download audio podcasts, followed by users in the 25-34 and 35-44 age groups. The index for the highest demographic of video podcaster is 25- to 34-year-olds, Nielsen/NetRatings said.
Among audio podcasters, Macworld ranked No.1 as the most visited content site, followed by Apple and iTunes. Live365.com and eMusic are the two most popular sites for video podcasters.
“Competitors to the iPod are now in the marketplace, but Apple got a big head start,” Lanz said. “It will take time before other portable media players make significant in-roads with the early adopters who are currently podcasting.”
This is a benchmark study on podcasting use for Nielsen//NetRatings, which plans to release trending data in the future.
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