Podcast listeners in UAE grow to 1.3m: markettiers MENA

There are 1.3m regular podcast listeners in the UAE, according to markettiers MENA, a broadcast specialist. Supported by podcasting consultancy 4DC, this is claimed to be the first such study on the UAE’s podcast landscape.

The results have revealed that 16% of the adult population tunes into podcasts at least once a week. Initial results also reveal nine in ten (92%) of regular podcast listeners trust podcasts more than traditional media.

Podcast listeners’ trust slightly dropped to 89% for radio and 86% for TV. Social media fares worst in the trust stakes, with only 72% saying they trust what they find on these platforms.

The research found that podcast listeners trust the medium more than any other form of media.

A selection of results were revealed at the latest MEPRA member event, Podcasts 101, with the full report due for release in August.

Mike Fairburn, of Sony Music Entertainment Middle East and panellist at the Podcast 101 event, referenced the clear appetite and potential for the podcast scene to grow in the region as mobile connectivity and pricing, access and awareness of podcast stores, and engagement with the creative community opened up.

Fairburn added: “the opportunity will be around empowering and supporting creative talents to drive the industry forward through engaging, relevant and informative podcast formats.”

Commenting on the research findings, Cheryl King Managing Director of markettiers MENA said: “The trust that podcast listeners place in the content they are listening to, represents a huge opportunity that brands shouldn’t ignore. Although the podcast scene in the region is still in its relative infancy, it is clear that it is primed to take off, and forward-thinking brands can get ahead of the curve and capitalise on the appetite for this medium which is undergoing a renaissance like we’ve never seen before.”