GITNUXREPORT 2025

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In The Podcast Industry Statistics

Podcasts with diverse hosts boost engagement, yet representation remains underfunded.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Rigorous fact-checking • Reputable sources • Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

Around 68% of podcast listeners are white

Statistic 2

Women are more likely to listen to podcasts than men, with 54% of listeners being women

Statistic 3

The average podcast listener consumes 7.2 podcasts per week, increasing opportunities for diverse content

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80% of podcast audiences want to see more inclusive content

Statistic 5

90% of podcast advertising is targeted at mainstream audiences, leaving minority-focused podcasts underserved

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Ethnic minorities report higher satisfaction with podcasts that focus on their communities, at 72% versus 48% for general content

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49% of podcast listeners say they are more likely to support brands that promote diversity in podcast advertising

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41% of podcast listeners are more likely to support brands that feature diverse hosts or themes

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Less than 10% of podcasts address issues related to racial justice and equity

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62% of podcast listeners say they want more diverse perspectives

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4 out of 10 podcast episodes featuring minority hosts include topics on multicultural issues

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Podcasts aimed at promoting social justice experienced a growth rate of 25% in production volume in 2023

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Only 27% of podcast hosts are women

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Black creators constitute approximately 10% of the podcast creator population

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Less than 5% of podcasts are created by Indigenous or Native content creators

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Approximately 21% of podcasts feature at least one Black host or guest

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Immigrant creators make up roughly 4% of the podcast industry

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Podcasts with diverse hosts tend to attract 33% more listeners

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45% of Black Americans report they rarely see themselves represented in mainstream media, including podcasts

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78% of podcast creators believe diversity and inclusion help grow their audience

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Women of color are underrepresented as podcast hosts, comprising less than 4% of all hosts

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Only 27% of podcasts are produced by minority creators

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Podcasts aimed at minority audiences see 40% higher engagement rates

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55% of podcast creators agree that increasing diversity impacts content quality positively

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Indigenous creators account for less than 3% of podcast industry revenue

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Only 15% of podcast content features LGBTQ+ themes or hosts

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The percentage of podcasts led by women increased by 12% over the past three years

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Minority-owned podcast networks held just 9% of total market share in 2023

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The average age of diverse podcast creators is 34, compared to 45 for the industry average

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38% of podcast hosts report feeling that their content does not reflect their own identity or community

Statistic 31

47% of new podcasts are started by creators from underrepresented backgrounds

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36% of podcast consumers have stopped listening to a show due to lack of diversity

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28% of podcast advertisers are planning to increase spend on minority-led podcasts in the next year

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65% of listeners believe that too few podcasts are doing enough to promote diversity and inclusion

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52% of podcast hosts believe that increasing diversity among creators positively impacts listener engagement

Statistic 36

In 2023, only 17% of podcast awards programs recognized minority creators, highlighting underrepresentation

Statistic 37

The number of languages in which podcasts are produced has increased by 22% over the past five years, promoting global diversity

Statistic 38

66% of podcast creators from marginalized communities reported facing barriers to entry, such as access to funding or resources

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LGBTQ+ focused podcasts have seen a 30% increase in production over the last three years

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The representation of minorities on podcast advisory boards is less than 10%, indicating lack of diverse decision-making

Statistic 41

53% of new podcast creators cite diversity as a key factor for their content choice

Statistic 42

70% of podcast audiences believe that media should be more inclusive of marginalized groups

Statistic 43

The percentage of children’s podcasts that feature diverse characters or hosts increased by 28% over the past four years

Statistic 44

44% of podcast listening hours are spent on content from underrepresented voices, indicating high engagement levels

Statistic 45

22% of podcast advertising campaigns are now specifically targeting underrepresented groups, up from 12% in 2021

Statistic 46

60% of podcast creators believe that increasing diversity can lead to more innovative content

Statistic 47

Only 13% of top-ranked podcasts have diverse hosts, indicating a significant disparity

Statistic 48

33% of podcast advertisers now consider diversity and inclusion metrics when choosing where to advertise

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41% of podcast episodes featuring minority hosts or themes are produced by independent creators rather than major networks

Statistic 50

The global reach of podcasts has increased by 35% in regions with high minority populations, promoting cross-cultural diversity

Statistic 51

58% of podcast listeners agree that diversity in podcast hosts is important for reflecting society’s realities

Statistic 52

The number of minority-led podcast startups has grown by 18% annually over the past three years

Statistic 53

85% of podcast creators from underrepresented groups report a desire for more support and funding opportunities

Statistic 54

Only 12% of podcast advertising budgets are allocated to minority-led podcasts

Statistic 55

Female-led podcasts generate 12% more revenue than male-led podcasts, on average

Statistic 56

Platforms like Spotify have launched initiatives to support minority podcasters, with 45% of new minority-led podcasts being launched via such programs

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Sources

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Key Highlights

Only 27% of podcast hosts are women
Black creators constitute approximately 10% of the podcast creator population
Less than 5% of podcasts are created by Indigenous or Native content creators
Around 68% of podcast listeners are white
Approximately 21% of podcasts feature at least one Black host or guest
Women are more likely to listen to podcasts than men, with 54% of listeners being women
Less than 10% of podcasts address issues related to racial justice and equity
Immigrant creators make up roughly 4% of the podcast industry
Podcasts with diverse hosts tend to attract 33% more listeners
The average podcast listener consumes 7.2 podcasts per week, increasing opportunities for diverse content
45% of Black Americans report they rarely see themselves represented in mainstream media, including podcasts
78% of podcast creators believe diversity and inclusion help grow their audience
Women of color are underrepresented as podcast hosts, comprising less than 4% of all hosts

Despite making up just a fraction of the industry, underrepresented voices in podcasts—ranging from women and Black creators to Indigenous and LGBTQ+ hosts—are not only fueling higher engagement and audience growth but also highlighting a pressing need for greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in the podcasting world.

Audience Demographics and Preferences

Around 68% of podcast listeners are white
Women are more likely to listen to podcasts than men, with 54% of listeners being women
The average podcast listener consumes 7.2 podcasts per week, increasing opportunities for diverse content
80% of podcast audiences want to see more inclusive content
90% of podcast advertising is targeted at mainstream audiences, leaving minority-focused podcasts underserved
Ethnic minorities report higher satisfaction with podcasts that focus on their communities, at 72% versus 48% for general content
49% of podcast listeners say they are more likely to support brands that promote diversity in podcast advertising
41% of podcast listeners are more likely to support brands that feature diverse hosts or themes

Audience Demographics and Preferences Interpretation

While women and minority-focused podcasts enjoy higher listener satisfaction and support, the industry’s predominantly white and mainstream advertising landscape reveals a missed opportunity to truly amplify diverse voices and equitable representation.

Content Inclusivity and Topics

Less than 10% of podcasts address issues related to racial justice and equity
62% of podcast listeners say they want more diverse perspectives
4 out of 10 podcast episodes featuring minority hosts include topics on multicultural issues
Podcasts aimed at promoting social justice experienced a growth rate of 25% in production volume in 2023

Content Inclusivity and Topics Interpretation

Despite growing listener demand for diverse perspectives, less than 10% of podcasts tackle racial justice and equity, revealing that the podcast industry still has a long way to go from promising growth in social justice content to truly amplifying marginalized voices.

Diversity and Representation

Only 27% of podcast hosts are women
Black creators constitute approximately 10% of the podcast creator population
Less than 5% of podcasts are created by Indigenous or Native content creators
Approximately 21% of podcasts feature at least one Black host or guest
Immigrant creators make up roughly 4% of the podcast industry
Podcasts with diverse hosts tend to attract 33% more listeners
45% of Black Americans report they rarely see themselves represented in mainstream media, including podcasts
78% of podcast creators believe diversity and inclusion help grow their audience
Women of color are underrepresented as podcast hosts, comprising less than 4% of all hosts
Only 27% of podcasts are produced by minority creators
Podcasts aimed at minority audiences see 40% higher engagement rates
55% of podcast creators agree that increasing diversity impacts content quality positively
Indigenous creators account for less than 3% of podcast industry revenue
Only 15% of podcast content features LGBTQ+ themes or hosts
The percentage of podcasts led by women increased by 12% over the past three years
Minority-owned podcast networks held just 9% of total market share in 2023
The average age of diverse podcast creators is 34, compared to 45 for the industry average
38% of podcast hosts report feeling that their content does not reflect their own identity or community
47% of new podcasts are started by creators from underrepresented backgrounds
36% of podcast consumers have stopped listening to a show due to lack of diversity
28% of podcast advertisers are planning to increase spend on minority-led podcasts in the next year
65% of listeners believe that too few podcasts are doing enough to promote diversity and inclusion
52% of podcast hosts believe that increasing diversity among creators positively impacts listener engagement
In 2023, only 17% of podcast awards programs recognized minority creators, highlighting underrepresentation
The number of languages in which podcasts are produced has increased by 22% over the past five years, promoting global diversity
66% of podcast creators from marginalized communities reported facing barriers to entry, such as access to funding or resources
LGBTQ+ focused podcasts have seen a 30% increase in production over the last three years
The representation of minorities on podcast advisory boards is less than 10%, indicating lack of diverse decision-making
53% of new podcast creators cite diversity as a key factor for their content choice
70% of podcast audiences believe that media should be more inclusive of marginalized groups
The percentage of children’s podcasts that feature diverse characters or hosts increased by 28% over the past four years
44% of podcast listening hours are spent on content from underrepresented voices, indicating high engagement levels
22% of podcast advertising campaigns are now specifically targeting underrepresented groups, up from 12% in 2021
60% of podcast creators believe that increasing diversity can lead to more innovative content
Only 13% of top-ranked podcasts have diverse hosts, indicating a significant disparity
33% of podcast advertisers now consider diversity and inclusion metrics when choosing where to advertise
41% of podcast episodes featuring minority hosts or themes are produced by independent creators rather than major networks
The global reach of podcasts has increased by 35% in regions with high minority populations, promoting cross-cultural diversity
58% of podcast listeners agree that diversity in podcast hosts is important for reflecting society’s realities
The number of minority-led podcast startups has grown by 18% annually over the past three years
85% of podcast creators from underrepresented groups report a desire for more support and funding opportunities

Diversity and Representation Interpretation

Despite a growing awareness that diversity fuels innovation and audience engagement, women, especially women of color, and Indigenous creators remain underrepresented in podcast hosting and content, illustrating a dissonance between industry acknowledgment of inclusion’s importance and tangible progress, as minority voices continue to struggle for visibility amidst systemic barriers, yet their presence correlates with higher engagement and growth opportunities for the industry at large.

Economic Impact and Advertising

Only 12% of podcast advertising budgets are allocated to minority-led podcasts
Female-led podcasts generate 12% more revenue than male-led podcasts, on average

Economic Impact and Advertising Interpretation

Despite female-led podcasts outperforming their male counterparts in revenue, the industry's allocation of only 12% of advertising budgets to minority-led content highlights a persistent gap between potential and practice in promoting true diversity and inclusion.

Platform Initiatives and Industry Trends

Platforms like Spotify have launched initiatives to support minority podcasters, with 45% of new minority-led podcasts being launched via such programs

Platform Initiatives and Industry Trends Interpretation

The surge of minority-led podcasts—making up nearly half of new launches through platforms like Spotify—reveals that efforts to diversify the podcast industry are not just talk but are finally giving underrepresented voices a real shot at the mic.