Gen Z Doesn’t Care for Video Podcasts

A new study has found that Gen Z doesn’t really care about the latest trend of giving every podcast a video component… preferring the “old-school” habit of just listening while doing other things.

Why It Hits: YouTube, Spotify, and Apple have all been pushing video podcasts because they lead to higher ad revenue… and, well, the kids love watching videos on their phones all the time (TikTok, Reels, Shorts, etc.). But this new study could lead those companies to turn down the volume on those ambitions.

Behind the Curtain: Gen Z wants to multitask… and that doesn’t necessarily mean watching more than one screen if it can be helped.

• Transistor, a podcast hosting and monetization platform, found that 76% of Gen Zers primarily listen to podcasts audio-only, 18% consume podcasts via audio and videos, and 6% prefer to watch the video version.
• 58% of respondents said Spotify is their go-to platform for podcasts. Of that group, 88% said they listen to podcasts via audio-only feeds. So, only 12% watch podcasts on the platform.
• But there’s a wrinkle — 21% said YouTube is their primary podcast app, with 52% of that group saying they watch the video feed of the podcasts.

The Future: So, what can be made of those stats? For starters, Spotify is still king, and it’s possible that if the public views it as an audio-first platform, they may not be so interested in its video offerings. While some may assume that’s because people are listening to podcasts on the go, the study also found that most young people listen to podcasts at home — potentially pointing to how they listen to them while they work or do chores.

This may be a huge sigh of relief for podcasters, who may now push back on the suggestion that they need a good visual setup just to record themselves… well… talking. Not every radio talent wants to be a video star.