Podcasters are now the most trusted media personalities in the United States, according to a new study by podcast company Acast.
The research shows that 64% of podcast listeners actively seek out podcasters and make time for their content, indicating a high level of engagement and intent with the medium.
These findings come as overall trust in US media hits an all-time low. A recent Gallup and Knight Foundation study found that 50% of Americans believe national news organizations deliberately mislead them.
“Trust in US media has been deteriorating in recent years as a result of socio-political unrest and conflicting coverage by news outlets on the same events,” said Acast Director of Research and Insights Tommy Walters.
“As US consumers have lost confidence in traditional media, they have increasingly turned to podcasters as a source of truth.
“During times of hardship and uncertainty – like the start of the pandemic and the beginning of the war in Ukraine – at Acast we have consistently seen audiences flock to podcasts for deep conversations and analysis over clickbait headlines.
“When it comes to product endorsements, we have also seen audiences be more trusting of podcaster recommendations than any other form of media.”
The data shows 75% of podcast listeners have sought out podcaster endorsements, more than social media creators (62%) and cable TV personalities (55%).
Further, 73% of consumers who acted on a podcast endorsement were happy with the product.
