Do Indians Listen to Podcast?

What is a Podcast?

Podcasts are modern-day personalized radio.  The term podcast is made up of two words iPod and Broadcast. The term pod is from the word iPod and cast from the word Broadcast.

A podcast is an audio file like talk radio where you have the control remote for the show. You can play it anytime, anywhere while going to your work or doing some Sunday household work. They are like audio episodes on a particular topic and the host will talk about that topic in each episode.

But with each episode, the host talks about some subject in that particular topic. They have interview shows too where they invite different guests to chat with more like a talk show(You just got an idea of Ellen’s show) It can be like a chat show where few friends chat about a topic( Four friends in a room can talk about anything and everything!). You can just download the audio file and listen to it when you want and you can subscribe to them too so you get all-new episodes automatically, at least somethings are updating themselves!

To make podcasts the Game of Thrones of today’s time, India has to work a lot. To start a successful podcast in India, one has to pick a topic of their Interest so they can keep the audience engaged for a longer time. Try to connect with the audience over the topic you tell. One has to ensure that the content is reaching the right audience because the right content is not enough.  To start a talk show starts with the right guest, the one audience wants to listen to. And then invite the guest of your dream once the show hits a good amount of viewers.

One should try in the Hindi language or some regional language since most of the listeners prefer their regional language over the English language. Mobile companies should pre-install podcasts on their Android phones as iPhones have. People are not aware of podcasts in India so there should be a proper advertisement of podcasts in India.

Top Podcast Platform in India

HUBHOPPER:

It started as a social network but soon swung to a podcast directory and a platform for short-form content aggregation. It is available with/without logging in. In addition to English, Hubhopper has a wide range of local shows “by Indians, for Indians” in Hindi, Kannada, and Tamil. Its popular podcasts comprise. Kalki Presents: My Indian Life, Cyrus Says, Sadhguru’s Podcast, Indian Noir, Stories of Premchand, and Mahabharata.

SUNO INDIA:

Suno India is referred to as a “platform for multi-lingual and multi-generational podcasting for important issues.” It was launched a year ago and distributes its podcasts on Spotify, Castbox, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. It also makes the material on the Suno India website accessible for listening. The Lost Child (stories of crimes across shelter homes in India), Climate Emergency (on climate change and environment), Dear Pari (a narrative podcast on adoption in India), and Gasping for Breath (a show on lung diseases), and The Suno India Show (current affairs and general interest) are some of its top podcasts.

CASTBOX:

It is a global podcast platform, with over 10 million downloads, its popularity in India is growing. India On The Drive, a Castbox podcast that focuses on India, consists of local news bulletins, talk shows, film reviews, and general interest and entertainment programs. Other catchy titles include The Passion People Podcast (stories of entrepreneurs and inspiring people), The SOS Show (focused on mental health issues), The Musafir Stories (chronicling Indian travel tales).

AWAZ.COM

The brainchild of Agrahyah Technology, a Mumbai based startup, Aawaz.com is one of India’s first audio-on-demand websites. This holds over 300 hours of original Hindi audio content including devotional chants and bhajans, interviews with actors, stand-up comedy, health, and wellness series, historical and mythological stories and more.

Top Podcast Show to listen in India

Some of the best podcast in India that everyone should listen to are:

SynTalk:

Intense work has brought in episodes that are heavy in intellectual content, interdisciplinary debates, and interdependent concepts. The show brings together three or more guests on subjects ranging from religion to politics, from technology to economics, and from art to medicine.

Cyrus says:

Cyrus Broacha’s weekly Tuesday podcast features someone new in every episode. Cyrus’s sense of humor and witty reply make it like an audio comedy show.

Maed in India:

This covers the best tunes and sounds by the artist in India and abroad. It promotes Indie music culture. With music sessions that will make you fall in love with it.

Each Monday, Mae Thomas presents the hottest songs and freshest sounds from musicians in India and abroad. In addition to music, she also holds detailed interviews with indie artists, as well as live music sessions.

The fan Garage:

With music and comedy, how can sports be left behind! This deals with every sport that is famous in India. It also deals with the current affair of sports. From kabaddi to cricket they have everything.

Watcha:

Movie reviews, web series, TV shows discussion it has got all for the couch potatoes who love to binge-watch.

History of India:

Take a dive into ancient history with this show on Indian history. The show currently covers 600 BC to 200 AD on season 2, with special episodes in between, such as a debate on how the caste system developed, the merchant trading society and foreign emperors.

3 Things:

This is a talk show. With the panel experts, talks about what is going on and the reasons for it.

Baalgatha:

Storytime! This deals with the stories of India and around the World. All the classic fables from Panchatantra to Jataka stories.

Desi outsiders:

Women on a lead! Two Indian women giving meaningful conversations on dating, feminism and even education.

Indian Noir:

A crime-thriller which will bring you to the edge of your seat. This has lots of twists and turns of actions and thrills.

THE INDIAN STARTUP SHOW

Everything about startups, new technology, thriving entrepreneurs, experienced professionals and keeping business alive. The weekly shows, hosted by Neil Patel, are a treasure trove of information for those seeking to make it big as a startup, The topics range from sales, architecture, communications, and psychology to funding.

THE INTERSECTION:

This podcast brings to light how technology, society, and history intermingle in India for all of the music lovers and tech geeks out there. Journalists Samanth Subramanian and Padmaparna Ghosh blend their investigative abilities, interview skills, original thinking, and eloquence to create an insightful episode through the fortnight.

INSIDE FORBES INDIA:

This podcast gives a glimpse of the knowledgeable minds behind Forbes India. Each episode presents a fresh conversation with exceptional minds and in each episode, there is something to learn.

KAAN MASTI:

It is hosted by Suresh Menon & MTV VJ Jose.

THE REAL FOOD PODCAST:

This fortnightly series is about food, its roots, its creation, the sense of ingredients and inventive recipes, all of which come from the infinite magical hat of ideas worn by food writer Vikram Doctor.

Do Indians Listen to Podcast?

With podcasts getting International fame, India is also adopting this new trend.  It’s the best time to start a podcast in India.

With a busy schedule, people are finding ways to get the best of their time. It’s possible to listen to the audio while traveling or doing some chores which doesn’t require you to pay much attention. Podcast deals even with social issues that are still considered sensitive in India. With audio programs dealing in every area India is also considering to use the podcast to gain an audience.

India is the third-largest user of the podcast( already on its way to being on the number one spot). With its user increasing India should launch more audio programs according to the interest of the right audience.

Podcasts also have something in store for children. There are children fables for every age. With an audience from kids to aged people, there are a lot of programs satisfying everyone’s needs. Shows like ‘The Seen and the Unseen’ which deals with social issues are on demand.

Podcast also deals with true stories like Sarah Koenig’s podcast ‘Serial’ is about the true story of the murder of Hae Min Lee in 1999. It won many awards too. As radio can reach a vast audience so we should promote podcasts in India.

In India, there is not much money for podcasters but they can earn more through ads on their show. But in future India can be on the top in Podcast business because of its large population and Diversity.

By this year, the global podcast is expected to reach $20 Billion. While the US is currently the most advanced podcast market PWC’s recently released report states that Indian monthly podcast listeners reached 40 million at the end of 2018, which was a 57.6% increase. Globally the UK-based audioBoom gets around 70 million listens in a month, with the US accounting for 60% of its listens. With this growth rate podcast could be a US$3.3 billion-plus business by 2025. But for this to occur podcast market should expand globally and need a bigger growing market like India.

The adoption rate is higher in countries like the US, UK, China, and the podcast popularity there is also higher. The previous year, podcasting in the US was a $314 million industry that denotes how excellent the podcast trends prevail there. The growth of that industry in India is sluggish. The key reason behind its slow rate of growth is the lower end of the adoption rate. It has come to know that the nature of podcasting is a matter of getting people to listen to it. The reason is that no knowledge is granted of the same. Once more and more people enter the sector, the growth will accelerate and the visibility will eventually be developed. The acceptance rate of podcasts in India is found to be much lower than the amount expected.

Some of the measures to improve its position in the Indian market are –

• Increasing ownership of smart devices and use of digital apps
•  Development of vibrant channels to produce and ingest content Demographic trends.
• Appeal through a better learning experience.

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