Podcasts might be the next big trend in Taiwan, a survey showed.
The study conducted by podcast platform Soundon said that the number of podcast programs last year increased by about 300, while the first half of this year has seen 870 more programs, adding that the first podcasts have been established as early as 2000.
The podcast scene grows by 100 programs per month, it said, adding that the total number of programs in Taiwan is 1,336.
The majority of new programs can be grouped into two categories — fashion and arts, or society and culture, Soundon said, adding that the growth in news and personal optimization programs remains low.
However, Soundon estimates that such programs would see more demand in the coming years.
Eighty percent of listeners favor talk show formats, the platform’s statistic showed.
While the majority of podcast listeners is female — about 60 percent — the average age of the audiences is between 23 and 32, with more than 95 percent of listeners having a college degree, Soundon said.
At least 50 percent of those listening to podcasts tune in at least five days a week, with an average daily listening time of 31 minutes to an hour, it added.
The podcast medium has taken off within the past two years, as 90 percent of participants in the survey have started listening within this time frame, Soundon said.
Compared with YouTube viewers, podcast audiences appear to be more loyal, with 95 percent of respondents having a preferred program and 70 percent willing to introduce friends or family to their favorite show.
Soundon cited 60 to 80 percent of the respondents as saying that they usually listen to the entirety of a podcast episode — 20 percent more compared with YouTube.
Podcast listeners are also more willing to pay for content, with 60 percent inclined to subscribe to channels and 50 percent saying that they have paid for content before, Soundon said.
About 85 percent of respondents said they do not mind product placement advertising, it added.
Taiwan has received more than US$70 million in royalties as of the end of last year from developing the F-16V jet as countries worldwide purchase or upgrade to this popular model, government and military officials said on Saturday. Taiwan funded the development of the F-16V jet and ended up the sole investor as other countries withdrew from the program. Now the F-16V is increasingly popular and countries must pay Taiwan a percentage in royalties when they purchase new F-16V aircraft or upgrade older F-16 models. The next five years are expected to be the peak for these royalties, with Taiwan potentially earning
STAY IN YOUR LANE: As the US and Israel attack Iran, the ministry has warned China not to overstep by including Taiwanese citizens in its evacuation orders The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday rebuked a statement by China’s embassy in Israel that it would evacuate Taiwanese holders of Chinese travel documents from Israel amid the latter’s escalating conflict with Iran. Tensions have risen across the Middle East in the wake of US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran beginning Saturday. China subsequently issued an evacuation notice for its citizens. In a news release, the Chinese embassy in Israel said holders of “Taiwan compatriot permits (台胞證)” issued to Taiwanese nationals by Chinese authorities for travel to China — could register for evacuation to Egypt. In Taipei, the ministry yesterday said Taiwan
‘LIKE-MINDED PARTNER’: Tako van Popta said it would be inappropriate to delay signing the deal with Taiwan because of China, adding he would promote the issue Canadian senators have stressed Taiwan’s importance for international trade and expressed enthusiasm for ensuring the Taiwan-Canada trade cooperation framework agreement is implemented this year. Representative to Canada Harry Tseng (曾厚仁) in an interview with the Central News Agency (CNA) said he was increasingly uneasy about Ottawa’s delays in signing the agreement, especially as Ottawa has warmed toward Beijing. There are “no negotiations left. Not only [is it] initialed, we have three versions of the text ready: English, French and Mandarin,” Tseng said. “That tells you how close we are to the final signature.” Tseng said that he hoped Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney
The US’ joint strikes with Israel on Iran dismantled a key pillar of China’s regional strategy, removing an important piece in Beijing’s potential Taiwan Strait scenario, said Zineb Riboua, a senior researcher at the Hudson Institute’s Center for Middle East Peace and Security. In an article titled: “The Iran Question Is All About China,” Riboua said that understanding the Iran issue in the context of China’s “grand strategy” is essential to fully grasp the complexity of the situation. Beijing has spent billions of dollars over the years turning Iran into a “structural strategic asset,” diverting US military resources in the
RSS