Every December I get the same, understandable, question from podcasting clients, “Are the holidays a good time to take a break? Is anyone listening?”
My answer: If you need a break, take a break. It’s important. Content creation can be a grind. Do people stop listening? Not exactly, but it’s complicated
Do They Keep Listening?
Data from solid studies doesn’t give a clear answer to that specific question. Some years look strong. Others look weak. What we know is simple. People are still listening in December. We just do not know if listening is higher or lower than average.
What is clear is creator behavior.
Fewer episodes are published in December. Release schedules slow. That drop in supply creates opportunity. Less competition means more space for the shows that keep publishing.
I wrote a full blog on this with links to the studies I used. Read the blog for the deeper answers or read on below for higher level detail.
Fewer Episodes are Released Creating Opportunity
This is a consistent fact. There are fewer episodes dropped. Creators take a break.
When fewer episodes are released, feeds feel quieter. Listeners see less new content.
That matters. With fewer choices, what is released stands out more. Decision fatigue drops. Attention becomes easier to earn.
Back catalogs matter too. December is often about catching up, not chasing the newest release.
What Happens in the New Year?
January often brings renewed listening. Routines reset. Interest returns.
Studies show January is a strong month for engagement and discovery. Not because December failed, but because habits restart.
December and January are connected. How a show shows up at year end affects how it enters the new year.
Again if you want to know how I reached these conclusions I’ve got links to all the studies I used here
Should Podcasts be Part of the Golden Globes?
This was first announced in October but it caused some buzz on social media yesterday.
Since the October announcement reaction the Globes will include podcasts reaction has been distinctly mixed, oscillating between celebration and skepticism. On one hand, it signals that podcasting has fully crossed into the cultural mainstream; on the other, some argue it says just as much about how traditional TV award shows are scrambling to stay relevant.
Should audio really be judged through TV-style lenses that privilege visibility, celebrity, and hype over craft? Podcast consultant Karl Hughes articulated this clearly, noting the lack of defined criteria makes the category feel more like a popularity contest than a meaningful assessment of the medium.
As a producer of independent podcasts, I agree with Karl, especially given the implication that celebrity-hosted or network-backed shows represent the “best” podcasting has to offer. They are not the best; they are simply the most well-funded and the most visible. That frustration shows up in online commentary labelling the category “Peak Normie,” shorthand for the fear that podcasting’s depth and diversity are being flattened into something easily digestible for Hollywood.
In the end, as much as this moment is framed as podcasts joining a TV awards show, the reality is podcasts will very soon surpass TV awards in terms of relevance.
Brand Spotlight
The UK government is including podcasting and audio on the Creative Industries Council. This move gives the audio industry a direct voice in conversations with policymakers.
The new seat signals a shift in how podcasting and audio are viewed by government, not as an emerging format on the margins, but as infrastructure within the creative economy.
One Last Thing
I said this on a podcast recently and just want to re-express it. We live in a somewhat polarized world and our values and beliefs seem to play a part in that. And here we are on what (for me) is Christmas eve.
So Merry Christmas.
And what I mean by that is if you choose a Happy Hannukah, or Happy Diwali, or Happy Kwanzaa, or a solemn Ramadan… awesome. I don’t care how you celebrate or observe as long as it’s peaceful, as long as you’re happy, and as long as you DO! You deserve the peace the “holy days” are intended to bring.
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