TV Becomes Fastest-Growing Device For Podcast Consumption, Edison Finds.

The smartphone remains the dominant device for podcast listening, but television is quickly becoming podcasting’s newest growth platform as video viewing reshapes audience habits.

New data from Edison Podcast Metrics shows that 13% of U.S. weekly podcast consumers 13 and older now say they most often use a TV to consume podcasts.

While smartphones remain the overwhelming leader, televisions have nearly caught up with computers and laptops for second place, signaling that podcast consumption is increasingly moving into the living room.

The shift has been remarkably rapid. Just 1% of weekly podcast consumers named television as their primary podcast device in 2021. That figure climbed to 4% in 2022, 6% in 2023, 7% in 2024, 11% last year and now stands at 13% in the first quarter of 2026 — a 1,200% increase in five years. The findings come from Edison’s quarterly Podcast Metrics survey of U.S. weekly podcast consumers 13 and older.

Edison says the trend closely mirrors YouTube’s growing role in podcasting. Consumers who say YouTube is the platform they use most often for podcasts are considerably more likely to identify television as their primary podcast device, underscoring how video is changing where podcasts are consumed.

The rise of TV-based podcast consumption helps explain why streaming services are beginning to view podcasts as more than just an audio product. As more consumers watch podcasts on connected TVs, the format increasingly resembles traditional television: long-form conversations, celebrity interviews, sports analysis and true crime series that can keep viewers engaged for an hour or more. That makes podcasts an attractive source of relatively low-cost, high-engagement programming for streaming platforms.

Netflix has embraced that shift most aggressively. The company has rolled out a dedicated video podcast hub, licensed shows from major podcast networks and begun producing original video podcasts as it looks to compete more directly with YouTube for viewer attention. Executives have framed podcasts as a way to broaden Netflix’s entertainment offering, increase viewing hours and create more advertising opportunities on its ad-supported tier.

Hulu is taking a somewhat different approach, using podcasts and creator-led programming to complement its existing entertainment lineup. Rather than building a standalone podcast destination, Hulu has experimented with bringing digital creators and talk-based programming to the service while also supporting companion podcasts tied to its original series. The strategy reflects a broader recognition across streaming that audiences increasingly consume personality-driven content alongside traditional television.

The trend underscores how the definition of a podcast is evolving, as evidence by the recent AMP Accords initiative. What began as an audio-first medium is increasingly becoming a living-room video experience, creating new opportunities for podcast publishers while giving streaming services a steady supply of fresh, inexpensive programming that encourages viewers to spend more time on their platforms. As Edison’s data suggests, as podcasts migrate from smartphones to televisions, the line separating podcast apps, YouTube and streaming services is becoming increasingly blurred.