More Americans are staying connected to media whether they’re in their cars, at work, or at the gym, according to Activate Consulting’s 2026 Technology and Media Outlook.
The average adult spends just over 13 hours per day consuming media and technology sources, which equates to approximately 32 hours per week. Media is described as listening to music, live or streaming radio, and podcasts.
Traditional radio is still king, but podcast listening is showing higher numbers in some cases. According to Activate, 81% of consumers currently listen to podcasts weekly, and 43% of those listen daily. A further 14% listen at least once a month, and this is across all age groups.
People have different jobs in how they listen to media. Data shows a breakdown of how a person listens to the radio in an hour, then turns around and listens to a podcast, then watches a video on social media, or even plays a game.
76% of music and podcast listeners reported multitasking when listening to media. “Multitasking is a time multiplier for all major technology and media activities,” the report states. According to Activate, 72% of music listeners multitask, and 62% of podcasters also engage in another activity.
Some of the top venues for people to listen to media and podcasts, including political shows, religion, and sports.
Activate’s report predicts that more Americans will tune in to watch sports in the coming years. why. As more states and governments lean towards legalization, the demand for online sports betting has increased significantly and is becoming mainstream.
“We project total U.S. sports betting to exceed $200 billion annually in 2028 and reach $215 billion in 2029,” Activate said.
