Popularity of podcasts ‘ may boost reading in the young’

A RISE in the number of young people listening to podcasts during lockdown could boost their reading engagement, a study suggests.

More young people who listen to podcasts enjoy reading ( 47.8 per cent compared to 40.8 per cent) and read daily ( 30.4 per cent compared to 27 per cent) than peers who do not, according to a National Literacy Trust ( NLT) report.

The research, based on surveys of children aged eight to 18 in the UK before and during lockdown, found nearly one in four ( 23.7 per cent) young people said they listened to podcasts or audiobooks more during lockdown than before – and this could have particular benefits for boys and secondary school pupils.

Some young people increased their listening frequency and duration over this period, while others had started listening to podcasts for the first time.

The most common reasons given for turning to podcasts were that they helped them to relax, they had extra time to listen to them, and they were drawn in by key role models who are podcast creators. “There is some tentative evidence that listening to podcasts is associated with improved reading outcomes,” the report says.

At the start of the year, before lockdown, one in five ( 19.6 per cent) young people said they listened to podcasts. More boys ( 22.7 per cent) than girls ( 16.6 per cent) tuned in. Emily Best, research manager at the NLT, said: “As a charity, we’ve long known that audio can provide new opportunities to engage children and young people with literacy – and our latest exploration into podcasts builds on this.”