2024 CSA/Havas Paris Study on Native Podcasts in France

In this article, I’m sharing key takeaways from the study “The French and Native Podcasts,” co-created by CSA and Havas Paris. This study, analyzing the state of native podcast consumption in France, is based on data from 1,016 native podcast listeners surveyed in August 2024, including 288 weekly listeners.

Podcast Listening Continues to Rise

Once again this year, native podcast consumption is on the rise. In 2024, 42% of French people listen to native podcasts, compared to 37% the previous year. Additionally, 23% of French people listen to native podcasts weekly, a significant 8-point increase from 2023. All the indicators are positive, confirming that native podcasts are increasingly becoming part of listeners’ daily routines. 🎯

Profile of Weekly Listeners: Loyalty and Growth

Weekly listeners show particularly strong engagement:

Listening intensity: 24% listen to native podcasts daily or almost daily.
Ongoing growth: 73% of weekly listeners report increasing their consumption since they started listening to podcasts, and 55% plan to increase it in the next six months.

Despite these encouraging figures, 58% of French people still do not listen to native podcasts, although this percentage is decreasing (63% in 2023). The gap seems mainly due to a lack of awareness about the format (23%) or a preference for radio (26%). 🚀

The loyalty of current listeners and the growing interest in podcasts indicate that the native format is becoming a fundamental part of listening habits.

Stable, Multi-tasking Listening Habits

Listening Practices

Listening habits remain relatively stable:

Preferred duration: 62% of listeners prefer short formats under 15 minutes.
Where they listen: 91% listen at home, but 86% also do so on the go.
Multitasking: 86% multitask, for example, browsing the internet (42%) or cooking (40%).

Native podcasts easily fit into daily life, whether at home or on the move, offering the flexibility to be enjoyed during other activities. 📱

When Do They Listen?

Listeners don’t have a specific time to listen to podcasts:

33% listen in the morning before 9 AM,
32% listen between 5 PM and 7 PM.

Podcasts adapt to a wide range of times throughout the day, allowing listeners to seamlessly integrate them into their schedules.

Devices Used

Native podcast listening primarily happens via:

Smartphones (71%),
Headphones (54%).

The smartphone, often paired with headphones, creates a fully immersive experience, offering a sort of personal “bubble,” which enhances the introspective nature of native podcasts. 🎧

Toward a More Social Listening Experience?

While 66% of weekly listeners still consume this medium alone, this number is down from 73% in 2023, and family listening is on the rise at 21% (up from 15% last year).

This trend shows that podcast listening is gradually becoming a collective activity, fostering discussions within households. 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦

Diverse Content and a Thirst for Authenticity

Preferred Content Types

Listeners have a strong preference for authentic content:

Documentaries (87%),
True stories (84%),
Personal testimonials (81%).

The variety of topics remains impressive, with a marked increase in interest in health podcasts, which reached 75% this year, compared to 66% in 2023. This trend highlights a growing desire for truths and personal stories in a world seeking authenticity. 🌱

Evolving Listening Behavior

Listening behavior is becoming more opportunistic. Only 57% listen out of habit, down from 80% last year. On the other hand, those who listen opportunistically have risen from 19% to 43%.

The influx of new listeners, who are more spontaneous in their consumption, shows that native podcasts are attracting an increasingly broad audience, less tied to fixed habits but eager to discover new content.

Discoverability and Engagement: Strengths of Native Podcasts

An Increasingly Diverse Listening Experience

The number of podcasts listened to by audiences continues to grow: 69% of weekly listeners regularly discover new podcasts, up from 64% last year. Meanwhile, only 31% always listen to the same podcasts, down from 36% in 2023. This trend shows that consumption is becoming more diverse, with listeners exploring a variety of content and seeking new perspectives and stories. 🔍

Video Podcasts: A Growing Trend

This year, 59% of French people have seen or heard a video podcast, a number that jumps to 94% among weekly listeners. 🎥

The success of video podcasts highlights the rise of hybrid formats, blending audio and video to further enrich the listener experience.

A Profile of Engaged Listeners

Weekly native podcast listeners stand out for their engagement:

Donations to charities: 72% have donated (compared to 54% of the general population),
Activism: 68% advocate for causes they care about (compared to 41% of the rest of the population),
Voter participation: Only 7% abstain from voting (compared to 33% of the rest of the population).

These numbers reveal a particularly active and socially engaged audience. 🌍

Podcasts as a Social and Engaging Medium

While often listened to solo, 71% of listeners share their discoveries with those around them, confirming that podcasts remain a deeply social medium. Additionally, 67% of weekly listeners believe podcasts encourage social engagement.

This strong social connection, combined with high trust in creators, makes podcasts an ideal medium for addressing sensitive topics and engaging listeners in deeper discussions.