Audio is central to UK culture. Whether we’re listening to music on the radio, musings on podcasts, streaming songs online or tuning in to talk shows, the ubiquity of audio is testament to its enduring appeal and relevance. Audiences today are presented with a huge amount of choice, with variation in how they choose to navigate it across different services, situations and, as we are seeing with video podcasts, audiovisual formats.
This summary report primarily focuses on findings from our 2026 annual Audio and Podcast Surveys, which ask people about their use of and attitudes towards different types of audio. Data from RAJAR and IPA TouchPoints are also included for context, and insight into podcast listening is supported by data from Edison Podcast Metrics UK. This report complements our annual Media Nations Report which looks more broadly at the wider radio industry and market developments, as well as trends in audiovisual viewing.
Technical reports, with more information on how our surveys are conducted, and full data tables are available to download from the Ofcom statistical release calendar.