New Zealand podcasts outgrowing other downloads
New Zealanders are tuning in to audio and video podcasts at an increasing rate and the growth in podcast downloads is out-pacing the growth in other online downloads including TV programs, feature length movies and video clips.
In 2019 over 320,000 New Zealanders download audio or video podcasts in an average four weeks, an increase of nearly 150,000 compared to three years ago equating to a percentage increase of 82%.
Though this represents only 8.1% of the New Zealand population aged 14+ this is up from only 4.8% three years ago and matches the proportion of Australians who download audio and video podcasts as covered extensively in a recent Roy Morgan release here – Podcasts growing in popularity in Australia.
Other types of online downloads have also grown over the last few years but at a far slower rate.
Now 306,000 New Zealanders download TV programs in an average four weeks, up 17,000 (+6%) on three years ago, 296,000 download feature length movies, an increase of 68,000 (+30%), and 275,000 download video clips, an increase of 30,000 (+12%).
Research conducted directly with real people is qualitatively and quantitatively more valuable than information drawn only through automated processes from web browsers and complicated algorithms. This is the best way to identify the number of real people – not bots, devices, clicks, or impressions – that visit a site.
These are the latest results from Roy Morgan Single Source survey derived from interviews with over 500 New Zealanders each month, over 6,500 each year.
New Zealanders downloading audio/video podcasts, TV programs, movies and video clips in an average four weeks
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (New Zealand): April 2015 – March 2016, n=6,565 and April 2018 – March 2019, n=6,531. Base: New Zealanders aged 14+.
Michele Levine, CEO, Roy Morgan, says podcasts are enjoying a surge in popularity in New Zealand and have overtaken other downloads including of TV programs and movies:
“Roy Morgan’s latest analysis of activities that New Zealanders do online reveals that over 320,000 Kiwis now download audio or video podcasts in an average four weeks, up over 80% from only three years ago – an increase of nearly 150,000 podcast downloaders.
“The growth in downloading podcasts easily outpaces the growth of other downloads including of TV programs, feature length movies or video clips although is well behind other popular online activities including streaming videos, music and TV and playing games online.
“As Roy Morgan revealed last year over 3 million New Zealanders now have access to Pay TV/Subscription TV services including around 2 million with the popular streaming subscription TV service Netflix illustrating the immense popularity of accessing content via the Internet.
“The increasing popularity of downloading podcasts, which can be to one’s mobile phone, computer or tablet, is being driven by younger New Zealanders. Over 10% of Millennials (born 1976-1990) and Generation Z (born 1991-2005) download podcasts compared to only 1% of Pre-Boomers born before 1946.
“Podcasts are most popular in the sub-tropical Northland region at the northern tip of New Zealand, in which over 15% of locals download podcasts, and closely followed by the capital city of Wellington. It appears New Zealand’s political ‘junkies’ can’t help but ‘scratch that itch’ and are always on the lookout for news and views about the political scene to consume.
“Contact Roy Morgan to learn more about the online activities New Zealanders are undertaking, and which activities appeal to which key demographics.”
Browse our Online Store for an extensive range of profiles including people who listen to podcasts and people who have downloaded audio or video podcasts and many more.
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Margin of Error
The margin of error to be allowed for in any estimate depends mainly on the number of interviews on which it is based. Margin of error gives indications of the likely range within which estimates would be 95% likely to fall, expressed as the number of percentage points above or below the actual estimate. Allowance for design effects (such as stratification and weighting) should be made as appropriate.
| Sample Size | Percentage Estimate |
| 40% – 60% | 25% or 75% | 10% or 90% | 5% or 95% | |
| 1,000 | ±3.0 | ±2.7 | ±1.9 | ±1.3 |
| 5,000 | ±1.4 | ±1.2 | ±0.8 | ±0.6 |
| 7,500 | ±1.1 | ±1.0 | ±0.7 | ±0.5 |
| 10,000 | ±1.0 | ±0.9 | ±0.6 | ±0.4 |
| 20,000 | ±0.7 | ±0.6 | ±0.4 | ±0.3 |
| 50,000 | ±0.4 | ±0.4 | ±0.3 | ±0.2 |
