By Dan Stainsby, Managing Director
In a world of scrolls, swipes, and screen fatigue, the spoken word is quietly, but powerfully, holding its ground.
According to the BBC’s Annual Report 2024/25, speech-based content is not only surviving the digital shift, it’s thriving. For brands looking to earn trust and communicate clearly, this presents a valuable and often underestimated opportunity.
Audiences are listening and choosing speech
BBC Sounds, the broadcaster’s digital audio platform, recorded a 2% increase in weekly active users this year, now reaching 4.8 million. That figure accounts for more than 15% of the BBC Radio audience and reflects a growing appetite for audio content that goes beyond music.
Perhaps most striking is the composition of that across all BBC Sounds Plays:
- 32% of plays are live speech-based content
- 32% are on-demand speech
Together, that’s a 64% share of audio consumed for its spoken content – outpacing music on the platform. Across BBC Radio more broadly, nearly half (47.3%) of all live listening is now to speech-led programming.
This marks more than a small shift. It reflects a growing preference for deeper, more human-centred content delivered in real time or through thoughtfully curated on-demand formats.
For brands, this is more than a media Insight
In the context of broadcast PR, this trend reaffirms the enduring power of speech formats to drive effective brand communication.
Live formats offer immediacy and contextual relevance. Whether it’s a morning show, drive-time interview or a topical panel discussion, live speech programming allows brands to speak directly into the cultural moment – where credibility is often built.
On-demand content ensures longevity. A well-positioned interview or expert voice doesn’t fade once it airs. It becomes searchable, shareable, and remains available to inform and influence future audiences.
Speech creates space for nuance and connection. Music can influence emotion, but speech informs, persuades, and builds familiarity. It allows brands to share detailed perspectives in a way that digital banners and social headlines rarely achieve.
The value of human connection
In an era increasingly defined by passive consumption and curated feeds, the act of listening to another human speak remains powerful. Speech-based audio creates space for context, emotion and a considered message.
It slows the pace, encourages reflection and builds trust – something every brand needs, but few formats consistently deliver.
Whether live or on-demand, speech connects.
If you would like to speak to us about capturing the public’s attention through earned media, or maximising the impact of your next marketing campaign, please get in touch.