Backlash After Research Report Claims only 1% of Households Listen to Podcasts

[mandy]

Forrester Research report claims only 1% of households listen to podcasts:

Podcasts have hit the mainstream consciousness but have not yet seen widespread use. One-quarter of online consumers express interest in podcasts, with most interested in time-shifting existing radio and Internet radio channels. Companies that are interested in using podcasts for their audio should focus not only on downloads but also on streaming audio as a means to get their content and ads to consumers.

Our survey showed that only 1% of online households in North America regularly download and listen to podcasts. And when you include all of the people who are just interested or have used podcasts, they strongly favor listening to existing content like Internet radio or broadcast radio, not necessarily new content...

full article: http://blogs.forrester.com/charleneli/20...dca_1.html

Podcasters and bloggers criticize the report's findings:

PodTech.net founder John Furrier blasted Li's post as being "wrong big time":

I don't know what planet Charlene is on these days but her report on podcast adoption is way off base. I don't know why she would come out with these low numbers. My only guess is that it's typical old school research method - take a handful of people off the street and ask them if they know about podcasting… that might make her report justified.

Some people managed to get Li's main point about podcasting - the interest in original programs, as opposed to timeshifting something they know like The Bob and Tom Show or Dan Patrick's Show on ESPNRadio, just isn't there. That could be a matter of awareness; people simply don't know that an original podcast aligned with their interests exist...

full article: http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/topnew...sting.html