Chinese podcast listeners to hit 300 million by year end

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By CGTN's Sun Ye, Kang Kai, He Meng

A recent industry report estimates that China's population of podcast listeners will hit 300 million by the end of 2017.

Yang Ziman is a podcaster, and she told CGTN that making a podcast work is easy.

All you need is a recorder, sometimes a mobile phone will do, and an editing software. Hit the “upload” button, and one's voice will reach millions out there.

Yang’s self-produced audio show has now gathered a growing community of English learners, who are hungry for more.

Yang Ziman in action as she records her podcast. /CGTN Photo

“Thousands have asked me how to learn English and I turned to this platform. Audio is easy for me to make and easy for the listeners. Many listen when on the subway. My episodes are so short that they don’t even need wifi,” Yang said.

Most of her episodes are under 10 minutes in length -- a winning format for today's listeners.

"I listen to podcasts, sometimes before sleep. It adds up everyday to about half an hour," a podcast listener told CGTN.

Another said, "I listen to podcasts by nutritionists and those that teach ways to improve one's health."

Koala FM's online platform has already over 170 million mobile app users. /CGTN Photos

Kaola FM, one of China's biggest platforms which gathers and provides audio content on the go, expects listenership to expand even more. The platform has already over 170 million mobile app users.

Yu Qingmu, CEO of Kaola FM, said the number of audience will increase because car ownership is still on the rise.

“Growth has been explosive in the last two years, for audio and mobile content from news to education, largely thanks to the growth of mobile internet. And then in this fast-paced society, everyone wants to make use of what little time they have, either doing chores or during commutes, they want to get some kind of education at the same time.”

Traditional radio shows are available as podcasts now. /CFP Photo

For individual podcasters like Yang, the best kind of education is anything but rote learning -- and she likes to add a personal touch.

“It's all about personality. They choose to learn from you because you appeal to them. And because I'm always by their side, the connection, quite like friendship, makes them like my show,” she said.

And that is why she signs off the show the way a friend would bid goodbye.