Reach Ad-Free Video Streamers With Podcast And AM/FM Radio Ads.

What’s an effective way for advertisers to reach subscribers to ad-free streaming video platforms — not to mention an effective ad medium for those streaming services? Based on research from several sources, it’s audio to the rescue again.

Right up top, Screen Engine/ASI’s quarterly survey of more than 2,000 respondents shows that the profiles of subscription-video-on-demand subscribers and past-three-month VOD viewers is similar to those of heavy podcast and AM/FM radio listeners, vs. that of heavy TV viewers.

“The age profile, presence of children and employment levels of video streaming subscribers and viewers closely match the profile of heavy podcast and AM/FM radio listeners,” Cumulus Media/Westwood One Audio Active Group VP of Advertiser Measurement and Insights Lauren Vetrano says in Westwood One’s blog. “Linear TV viewers are much older and less likely to be employed and have children in the home.” 

According to a study of more than 600 weekly podcast consumers conducted last fall by Signal Hill Insights in conjunction with Quantilope, there’s a close connection between those consumers and video streaming. Asked about past month activity, 94% said they’d used such a video streaming service, while 86% reported having used an ad-free video streaming service.

That study also finds that weekly podcast consumers prefer ad-free streaming services, with Netflix and Amazon Prime leading the pack, and that on average they spend 41% of their video viewing time watching ad-free platforms. It’s also notable that more than a third (35%) of weekly podcast consumers do not subscribe to any pay TV company. “While these consumers are streaming ad-free video content, they can be reached by podcast ads,” Vetrano says.

One more finding working in advertisers’ favor: the more podcast listening, the more time spent with ad-free TV streaming. Heavy podcast consumers — those listening to six hours of more in the past week — are 17% more likely to be heavy ad-free video streamers. On average, heavy podcast consumers spend 6.5 hours with ad-free TV streaming services, 12% more time than weekly podcast listeners. “Heavy podcast consumers are even more inclined to be heavy TV streamers who are difficult to reach with traditional TV advertising,” notes Vetrano.

While the above makes a strong case for streaming VOD services themselves to use audio ads, data from MediaRadar and Magellan show that during 2025, those services spent $1.1 billion on linear TV vs. $83 million for podcasts and $42 million for AM/FM radio.

“The historical high spend in TV and lower spend in podcasts and AM/FM radio create an opportunity for video streaming platforms to have a strong share of voice on these platforms,” Vetrano says. “Increasing spend on these audio platforms while others are not can benefit video streaming platforms.”