News podcasts dominate the latest Australian Podcast Ranker

ABC News Top Stories has snared top spot in the latest Australian Podcast Ranker with more than 2 and a half million monthly downloads, edging out Hamish & Andy, with the ABC’s Mushroom Case Daily (up 2 spots) – in third.

The latest result is reflective of the thirst for updates on the trial of Erin Patterson – which captured the attention of the world – with Top Stories created specifically for the digital audience – explaining the key stories of the moment in under two minutes.

Mamamia Out Loud and Shameless round out the top 5.

The latest ranker sees ARN’s iHeart attracting over 7 million unique listeners, with 23.5 million downloads – as well as the first-time appearance of The New York Times podcasts, represented by iHeart locally.

The Daily debuted at #12 overall, claiming the #1 spot for international news, while The Ezra Klein Show and Hard Fork also entered the Top 200.

Life Uncut jumped four places to #7 overall, largely driven by listener interest in Brittany Hockley’s marriage and Laura Byrne’s third pregnancy.

Other highlights include The Daily Aus climbing four spots to #18, BBC’s Global News Podcast jumping 12 places to #27 and She’s On The Money moving up six spots to #44.

Corey Layton, ARN’s Head of Digital Audio, said “Our iHeart network continues to lead the market, offering unmatched scale and connection for advertisers and partners.”

“We’re proud to welcome The New York Times podcasts to the Australian Ranker with The Daily landing straight in the Top 20 and other debutants like The Ezra Klein Show and Hard Fork resonating with listeners. Locally, Life Uncut’s 100 million download milestone is an extraordinary achievement for Britt and Laura – a testament to their ability to consistently engage audiences with content that delivers real impact.”

Original content continued to be a key driver of audience growth and engagement for Nine’s Podcast Network, with The Mushroom Trial: Say Grace reaching #40 on the June ranker.

Nine Audio’s Head of Digital Growth Mia Stern said “We are incredibly pleased with the continued growth of our podcast network in June. These results underscore the strength of our diverse content offering, from compelling original series like ‘The Mushroom Trial’ to the trusted news and current affairs coverage provided by 9News and our popular radio catch-up programs.”

“The significant year-on-year growth, particularly in listener numbers and downloads, highlights our commitment to delivering high-quality audio experiences that resonate with a broad audience.”

SEN now features 16 titles in the top 300 Australian-made podcasts.

SEN Breakfast with Garry Lyon, Tim Watson, Kane Cornes and David King and Whateley with Gerard Whateley had 1,156,330 and 617,704 downloads respectively.

Six SEN podcasts have made their debut in the Australian Top 300 ranker, including The Run Home with Andy & Gazey.

Sam Thompson, Group Radio Director at SEN, said the results reflect the network’s commitment to delivering premium sports content to fans across Australia.

“We’re incredibly proud to be recognised as the number one sports podcaster in the country. These results are a testament to the strength of our programming and the deep connection we’ve built with sports fans nationwide. Whether it’s breakfast banter, in-depth analysis or live game coverage, SEN continues to set the benchmark for sports audio.”

SEN’s WA radio programs have made a powerful entrance into the national podcasting scene, with two locally produced shows debuting in Top 300.

SEN WA Breakfast (featuring Adam Simpson, Tim Gossage and Scott Cummings) and Mornings with Mark Duffield  both earned spots in the ranker, marking a major milestone for Western Australian sports media.

Industry body Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) says podcasting has now reached a significant step-change, with new research revealing 52% of Australians are now reporting they are listening to or watching one or more podcasts every month.

CRA says the sustained and consistent growth in podcasting has been exceptional with reported listening more than doubling in the past five years from 25% of Australians back in 2020.

CRA CEO Lizzie Young says this milestone demonstrates that the medium has crossed from emerging to essential:

“Podcasting has reached scale, and that requires measurement that’s fit for purpose. The industry has united behind a single source of truth because advertisers need consistency and clarity to invest with confidence.”

CRA says its demos and data reveal that the True Crime genre is delivering active buyers, not just browsers, with a 19.2% reach of monthly podcast listeners and premium female 25-54 skew.

Today, CRA has confirmed the extension of its partnership with Triton Digital to continue delivering the ranker.