Podcasting data could be a game-changer for Europe 🇪🇺

Eurowaves #16

Jul 11, 2025

Hey podcasters,

This issue is packed with so many valuable insights going from podcasting data and industry news from across the continent to podcast recommendations from a country I haven’t covered before (plus a few personal favorites that reflect my values and ethos).

Big news: I will be a judge for the Signal Awards! These are some of the most prestigious awards in the podcasting world and I am so excited to get to listen to top notch audio work.

You can still submit your work by August 1st. They encourage entries from all over the world. If you are submitting a podcast in a language other than English, please provide a transcript in English.

Submit to the Signal Awards

🇪🇺European Podcasting News

Introducing a new section to the newsletter!

I’ve been gathering updates between issues and instead of cramming them into the intro, they now have a home.

🇬🇧🇫🇷 AudioUK has launched a campaign for formal recognition of podcasting and audio as a core UK creative industry. It follows similar action in Canada and France.
🇩🇪 BEIFAHRERSITZ is a German podcasting newsletter written by Denise Fernholz, creator and host of SIND WIR ENDLICH DA?, with tons of tips on how to grow your show. We recommended each other’s newsletters on Substack and almost 50 of you have joined, welcome! If you’re a German podcaster and not subscribed, you’re missing out.
🇩🇪University of Leipzig is conducting a study investigating the working practices of podcasters in the DACH region. Join and complete the survey!
🇫🇷Studio Ochenta launched a new program: Bilingual podcasting workshops for kids aged 8 to 15, now available in both English–Spanish. The class is 'Learn-from-anywhere', all kids need is a phone and access to a laptop.
🇪🇦The biggest Spanish awards, The Ondas took place this week in Madrid. Find the full list of winners here!

Eurowaves Update ☘️

Since the last issue, we have…

…+44 new subscribers.

Welcome, everyone! We are now halfway to this year’s goal of 1,500 subscribers.

This newsletter will always be free but if you’d like to support my work, you can sign up for a paid subscription.

🇩🇪Unlocking Podcasting Data, with Seven.One Audio's Karin Kessler

Karin Kessler is Vice President Strategy & Content at Seven.One Audio and has been with ProSiebenSat.1 for 16 years. After setting up and managing various digital marketing teams, she was involved in the founding of the podcast unit in 2019 and played a key role in developing the business. Today, she is responsible for strategy, ad tech, marketing and content acquisition.

I wanted to interview Karin to learn more about Seven.One Audio’s Podcast 2025 Report.

You can connect with Karin on LinkedIn here.

What inspired Seven.One Audio to invest in this podcast report, and what gap in the German or European podcasting landscape were you hoping to address?
Since 2021, Seven.One Audio has been dedicated to conducting comprehensive research on the podcasting landscape in Germany, focusing on audience behavior, target demographics, and comparative media insights. Our investment in this recurring podcast report was driven by a clear vision to further educate the German podcasting ecosystem: we believe in the transformative power of podcasts and want to provide the industry the insights needed to unlock its full potential.

What were some of the most surprising or noteworthy findings from the research?
In 2025, the podcast market is increasingly shaped by a young and female audience. Women under 30 are playing a particularly influential role. Another key finding is the steady market growth: reach, usage, and the variety of available podcasts continue to rise.

For the first time, more young people are listening to podcasts than to traditional radio – a significant shift in audio consumption habits. Finally, podcast advertising has also proven to be highly effective: it delivers strong incremental reach, enjoys high acceptance among high-income listeners, and achieves the highest advertising recall among women compared to other media.

How do you see this kind of data influencing the way podcasters, advertisers, or platforms approach podcasting in Germany moving forward?
Advertisers will continue to increase their budgets, because no other medium offers such direct access to an educated, young, and predominantly female audience. Our calculations show that current media spendings should be four times higher to accurately reflect the amount of time audiences are dedicating to podcasts. The ongoing and unique growth of podcasts – currently the only medium experiencing consistent growth – should further motivate advertisers to allocate more of their budgets to this channel.

As advertising investments rise and the audience continues to diversify, more creators, content providers, and journalists will be drawn to this dynamic medium. This will lead to the production of even more compelling content, ensuring that offerings are available for every niche and age group. In summary, these trends will foster a vibrant ecosystem that benefits listeners, creators, and advertisers alike.

How can other European countries follow this example and invest in similar research or reporting on their own podcasting industries?
We benefit greatly from being part of a large media organization that continuously collects and publishes data on German media usage. This structure allows us to gather and analyze podcast data with relative ease. Based on our experience, we would recommend that other countries expand their major media usage studies to include podcast data.

By integrating podcast metrics into existing, comprehensive media research, it becomes possible to systematically track the growth and impact of podcasting across different markets. This approach would not only provide valuable insights for the industry but also support the development of the podcast ecosystem throughout Europe.

From your perspective, what role does data play in shaping a more sustainable and innovative podcasting ecosystem in Europe?
Data plays a crucial role in fostering a more sustainable and innovative podcasting ecosystem in Europe. By providing transparency on audience behaviors, content trends, and advertising effectiveness, data empowers all stakeholders—creators, advertisers, and platforms—to make informed decisions.

🎙️🌍What I’ve been listening to🌍🎙️

Ireland Said Yes

A lovely exploration of the queer community in Ireland, from personal stories to an interview with former president Mary McAleese to conversations about history and policies. Did you know Ireland was the first country to pass same-sex marriage through a popular vote? These are the kind of facts and human stories that make me grateful for podcasting. The beautiful and carefully crafted scoring and sound design are a plus.

The Outlaw Ocean

This is not a European-made podcast but it’s a very important series about Europe and immigration. You’ll get to hear about different cultures, in multiple languages, and learn crucial facts about the EU and how Libya comes into play in its relationship with immigration. I especially appreciate that the podcast spotlights personal stories. The anti-immigration rhetoric in Europe is on the rise. We need to educate ourselves and advocate for human rights being respected, and this podcast aims to do just that.

Blaxit Global

Hosted by Chrishan Wright, who moved from the U.S. to Portugal, this show highlights the journeys of Black expats who chose to turn their lives around and move to a different country. It’s something I’ve done three times already so I’m always eager to hear other people’s journeys! You’ll get to learn about the guests’ experiences adapting to new lifestyles, cultures, and views on race. The listeners travel between Italy, Spain, Portugal, but also beyond Europe, in Kenya, Ghana, or Vietnam.

What podcasts have you been listening to lately?

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Podcasts from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Bogdan, the founder of Saspod, is an entrepreneur, podcast producer, marketing expert, musician, and TV personality based in Glasgow. He has helped grow multiple podcasts to global recognition and success. With over 6 years of experience in branding, content development, and digital marketing, Bogdan knows how to transform ideas into engaging podcast experiences that resonate with audiences and deliver measurable results.

The Pod Files: This is a digital marketing podcast, exploring the creator economy. Interviews happen in the studio or remotely on various marketing topics.
Curious City: Welcome to Curious City, the podcast from Glasgow Life Museums. In each episode, we travel across Glasgow discovering locations around the city and objects from our collections that link in surprising ways - uncovering the stories that surround us.
The Doorstep Murder: A behind the scenes look at the investigation into the Alistair Wilson murder, one of Scotland’s most baffling unsolved cases. Presented by Fiona Walker.

Thank you for sharing, Bogdan!

You can connect with him on LinkedIn here.

🚀Events and Opportunities🚀

Since the last issue, The British Audio Awards (aka The Speakies) and Crossed Wires Podcast Festival took place in the UK! If you were there, drop a comment and let us know how it was.

In Germany, So Many Voices 25 tickets are coming soon. The festival by Hauseins will take place in Munich, November 21-22. Were you there last year? Give it a shoutout in the comments!

Eurowaves