In a recent study, it was found that smartphone listening dominates podcast consumption among Russians, with 92% tuning in via mobile devices. Laptops are used by 41% of listeners, tablets by 24%, and smart speakers by 22%. The survey was conducted by Mediacom.Expert and Surveyolog.ru and reviewed by socialbites.ca on the Russian podcast landscape.
The data shows that most respondents—41%—spend between 30 minutes and an hour each day listening to podcasts. Another 31% dedicate 10 to 30 minutes, and 19% allocate between one and three hours to this activity. When it comes to preferred podcast length, one third, or 33%, favor episodes that run 10 to 30 minutes. Twenty-five percent prefer shorter clips of 5 to 10 minutes, and 23% want longer shows ranging from 30 minutes to an hour. Only 11% listen for under 5 minutes, while 7% are willing to invest 1 to 2 hours in a session.
Engagement contexts reveal that 62% of listeners use podcasts during their free time, just over half, 53%, listen while carrying out household chores, 42% listen on the move, and 32% tune in while eating or relaxing. Fewer listeners report listening before bed (28%), at work (19%), or during workouts (17%).
Reasons behind the podcast habit were also explored. A clear majority, 66%, cited a thirst for new knowledge. Fifty-two percent play podcasts in the background while working, and 47% use them to follow news on topics of interest. Other motivations include broadening horizons (43%), seeking relaxation or distraction (34%), entertainment (34%), and sometimes choosing podcasts as an alternative to music (27%).
When it comes to what makes a podcast feel valuable, 85% of respondents said relevant topics and interesting facts matter most. Humor is important to 48%, and 48% also value clarity and accessibility of content. The presence of expert opinions is important to 47%, while 39% want to hear viewpoints from multiple sources, including dialogue formats (29%). A media personality is considered essential by 13% of listeners.
The top podcast topics across the audience include health and medicine at 49%, psychology and personal development at 47%, money and finance at 45%, past events at 43%, arts, culture, and music at 42%, games, cinema, and entertainment at 41%, children, family, and education at 40%, travel at 36%, news and politics at 36%, and education and science at 34%.
Attitudes toward podcast advertising show a mix: 39% hold a neutral view, 33% feel generally positive, and 27% view it unfavorably. When it comes to discovery, listeners most often learn about podcasts through platform recommendations (47%), then friends and acquaintances (43%), bloggers and influencers (35%), advertising (32%), colleagues (21%), family members (16%), and partners (13%).
Regarding willingness to pay, a majority of 62% are not inclined to pay for listening, while 25% would pay if the amount is small. Only 8% are willing to pay for a podcast, and 5% have already paid for access.
Among the 38% who are open to paying, most are prepared to spend up to 500 rubles, with 67% choosing this cap. A smaller share would pay 500–1000 rubles (18%), and 8% would pay 1000–3000 rubles. Interestingly, 47% of listeners are willing to pay for their favorite podcast if it is monetized, 35% would switch to free content, and 17% would stop listening altogether.
When asked about creating a podcast of their own, 60% of respondents indicated no interest. Among the 40% who are curious, 20% admit they do not know where to start, 11% say they lack time, 6% are looking for a topic and a team, and 3% are actively preparing to launch a show.
In conversations about what people do during traffic jams, the most common activity identified was listening to or engaging with podcasts, highlighting how podcasts fit into daily commutes and routine moments across audiences.