New data from Edison Research shows that, for the first time, in the final months of 2025, podcasts surpassed talk radio as a share of overall spoken-word audio listening.
The data, which compares how Americans aged 13 and older listen to podcasts versus AM/FM radio, showed more toward podcasts for the first time. The Edison data appears to only measure audio consumption.
Podcasts have been on an upward trajectory for nearly two decades, as the medium’s easy, on-demand accessibility has reached fans more effectively than live radio. In sports, athletes, broadcasters, and commentators have all embraced podcasting. As cable sports television fades, podcasting has become a replacement for many fans seeking information and chatter on their favorite teams and leagues.
Top hosts such as Pat McAfee, Bill Simmons, and Dan Le Batard now operate almost exclusively in podcasting. Simmons and several counterparts have built and sold podcasting businesses over the past half-decade.
Just as podcasts catch up to radio in listening share, the podcast industry is embracing video. Platforms such as Netflix and Prime Video, as well as television networks like ESPN, FS1, Fox News, and MS Now, have begun using podcasts to program their channels. Netflix recently launched two original “podcasts” hosted by Dallas Cowboys legend Michael Irvin and SNL alum Pete Davidson.
The Golden Globes are even giving out an award for podcasting now. And sites like Awful Announcing devote entire packages to the growing industry.
The radio business is catching up. Previously, audio-only networks like SiriusXM have inked lucrative deals with top podcasters, including Conan O’Brien, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and the Smartless hosts.
Many local sports talk radio stations now simulcast live video feeds on YouTube or Twitch, allowing fans to consume shows as podcasts. Radio shows are spliced into episodes and uploaded to podcast feeds.
The evolution prompted WFAN program director-turned-94 WIP Philadelphia daytime host Spike Eskin to recently argue that sports radio had caught up to podcasting.
“I still think we are better at doing what we do than anybody is at doing what we do,” Eskin said.
The lines continue to blur between different formats, even as audio consumption tilts further toward podcasts.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.