WELLINGTON, June 19 (Xinhua) -- One in three listeners consume podcast content at least once a week, with society and literature themes ranking the most popular in New Zealand, while half of all podcast listeners are aged under 45 years-old, according to a survey released on Wednesday by Radio New Zealand (RNZ) and its hosting and distribution partner Acast.

The survey complements Acast internal data, which shows a staggering 107 percent listener increase in the past 10 months, reflecting the rapid growth in the popularity of podcasts in New Zealand.

“It’s great to see some reliable insight into just how popular podcasts are becoming,” Tim Watkin, RNZ's Executive Producer, Podcasts & Series, said.

“We know how popular podcasts are on RNZ National and rnz.co.nz, but the fact a third of listeners are consuming podcasts every week shows people are getting hooked.”

“Once you start and get drawn into the stories and the ability to listen to whatever you want, whenever you want, it’s addictive,” Watkin added.

The broadcaster’s partnership with Acast, the world’s largest podcast company, further cements its commitment to local podcast content and audience growth.

“The research shows New Zealand is one of the fastest-growing and actively engaged podcast markets globally,” Acast Managing Director Henrik Isaksson said.

“This type of research is exactly what brands, agencies and publishers need to see in order for the industry to see further growth.”