To non-fans of True Crime podcasts, the genre may seem exploitative. But a new survey from Crime Junkie creator Audiochuck and Edison Research sheds a different light on what motivates fans of True Crime to listen. It finds a large number of listeners want to help the victims, including a quarter of listeners who say they have donated money directly to victims and their loved ones, or have donated to a specific cause or organization. The survey also finds that more than half (55%) of True Crime podcast listeners say they have shared details a crime they have heard about to promote awareness of a case.
The report also suggests that True Crime podcasters may want to shift how they are approaching the stories they tell. While the genre has long been focused on the perpetrators, or even trying to flush out suspects in an unsolved case, many listeners would rather hear more about the victims. The survey finds that if a podcast were victim-centered, a third (32%) say they would be “much more” interested in listening.
“The True Crime genre is evolving,” says Gabriel Soto, Senior Director of Research at Edison Research. “Consumers are helping to solve cases, donating to causes, and demanding victim-centered storytelling. With podcasting at the heart of this transformation, that’s what we can call a podcast movement.”
The survey finds that 42% of the U.S. population age 13+ are True Crime podcast listeners – an estimated 119 million Americans. And among U.S. weekly podcast listeners age 13+, one in five (22%) listen to True Crime podcasts, making it the third most listened-to genre in podcasting. Half of those listeners say they would like to participate in solving the mystery. Beyond that altruistic motivation, 57% of podcast listeners think True Crime stories are fascinating, and 50% say they like the suspense and thrill of the genre.
“The findings emphasize that our audience is not only deeply engaged, but also driven by a desire to take action,” Audiochuck Founder Ashley Flowers said. “As we look toward the future, this presents opportunities for us to continue to expand the influence of this passionate, purpose-driven community.”’
True Crime has grown in popularity beyond podcasting, especially on TV. The Edison survey finds 84% of the U.S. population age 13+ watch or listen to True Crime through any medium – television, YouTube, social media, or podcasting.
Nearly half (45%) of podcast listeners who consume True Crime on other platforms but not podcasts would “very likely” listen to a True Crime podcast if it focused on their local area or region. And 43% would listen if it focused on high-profile cases or stories.
Edison Research and Audiochuck will host a webinar Sept. 12 to release more of the findings and insights from the True Crime survey. Find details HERE.
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