One In Ten In UK To Start A Podcast This Year

During the 1928 presidential campaign, Republicans supporting Herbert Hoover claimed a Hoover presidency would deliver Americans a “chicken in every pot.”

Fast forward nearly 100 years and we have a United Kingdom corollary to that campaign slogan with, “a podcast started in every home.”

Exaggeration? Sure, but not by much. 

 Podcasting is already a globally established phenomenon, with millions already embracing the medium as a full-time profession, side hustle or hobby. But, according to new research from Acast — An independent podcast company — even more people plan to pick up the mic in 2022. Acast’s survey^* of 500 people in the UK found that more than 1 in 10 (12.4%) are intending to set up and start a podcast of their own this year.

And 42% of those planning to share their stories with the world said it was specifically a new year’s resolution, with 60% saying they aim to launch their new show towards the start of the year — February being the most popular month. 

The results underpin many 2022 industry predictions that suggest podcasting will emerge as a cornerstone of the creator economy in 2022. Matt MacDonald, Chief Product Officer at Acast, said: “The people we surveyed were members of the UK public — not already established podcasters or names — which underpins our belief that podcasting should be open to everyone, and reinforces the accessibility of the medium.

“Having your own podcast is a great resolution for 2022 — it requires minimal equipment or set-up and, if you’ve got a story to share, podcasting will help you find your audience. It’s our mission to inspire people and give them the confidence and support they need to start their podcasting journey — so many new year’s resolutions are broken, but this is one we would love to see come to fruition.”

Perhaps leisure time in the UK mean “podcast and chill.” 

• Source: OnePulse - Sample 500 Nat Rep respondents / 62 prospective podcast creators; December 2021