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Astronomy Cast: Evaluation of a podcast audience’s content needs and listening habits (page 24-29)
Pamela L. Gay, Rebecca Bemrose-Fetter, Georgia Bracey, Fraser Cain

Summary
In today’s digital, on-demand society, consumers of information can self-select content that fits their interests and their schedule. Meeting the needs of these consumers are podcasts, YouTube, and other independent content providers. In this paper we answer the question of what the content provider can do to transform a podcast into an educational experience that consumers will seek. In an IRB-approved survey of 2257 Astronomy Cast listeners, we measured listener demographics, topics of interest and educational infrastructure needs. We find consumers desire focused, image-rich, fact-based content that includes news, interviews with researchers and observing tips.

Online references:
- www.astronomycast.com
- Generations Online Pew Internet and American Family Life Project
- IT Conversations, produced by Phil Windley
- Quirks and Quarks , hosted by Bob McDonald.
- Skepticality, hosted by Derek Colunduno and Swoopy.
- The Skeptics Guide to the Universe, hosted by Steven Novella.
- A full appendix to this article can be found here as a word document.