The last theme to look at from Sound Affects 2 is the Impact of COVID on audio listening behaviour.
We’ve already established that more and more people have turned to audio during the pandemic and that there’s more listening taking place than ever before, something clearly shown in the increases in digital listening over the last 18months.
But why has audio proved so invaluable during this time?
It goes back to the basics of informing, reassuring and entertaining that were spoken about in the presentation. 60% of those surveyed felt that radio was a trusted source of information for them about COVID. Where things get interesting is what benefits people found they were getting from audio. 49% of people saying that they used audio to improve their mood during the pandemic while 47% saying they used it for companionship, a vital role at a time where many people felt isolated.
44% of those surveyed say they used audio to look after their mental health and 40% said they now feel more of a connection to audio than they did before the pandemic. This highlights the unique and powerful bond between the medium and the listener.
In terms of time spent listening, it has increased across radio, podcasts and streamed music with the car being the only place where people felt they were listening less.
These new habits are here to stay particularly for radio and streamed music where people think they’ll continue to listen to more and there’s also an expectation that car listening will bounce back once commutes resume with 29% saying they expect to listen more.
If you’d like further information on these stats or any of the information in Sound Affects 2 please get in touch on hello@urbanmedia.ie.
Source: Sound Affects 2 (2021)
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