FAB Universal (NYSE MKT:FU), a worldwide distributor of digital entertainment (and parent company to Libsyn), announced unique monthly audiences has experienced accelerated growth from 20 million people in the first quarter of 2012 to 28 million people in the first quarter of this year. The 40% increase is a result of the addition of 8 million podcast audience members enjoying podcasts from 240 countries around the world on the Libsyn Network each and every month.
The recent hockey stick type growth chart for audience engagement with podcasts comes at a time when more shows are now being distributed to mobile devices than to traditional PC’s. Media distribution to mobile devices such as iPhones and iPads demonstrate a fundamental shift away from the traditional method of downloads via iTunes to the PC. This fundamental catalyst represents a significant opportunity for monetization of podcasts through advertising due to the fact that these mobile downloads can now be tracked in the same manner as streaming video content from a website like YouTube. This type of tracking was not possible before this shift in audience consumption habits.
