‘Authenticity and Intimacy’: Key Influencers In Consumer Audio Choice

Radio and podcast hosts aren’t just entertainers — they’re the original influencers driving trust, connection, and measurable results for brands. That’s a takeaway from a just-released Audacy “State of Audio” report, which shows how authenticity and intimacy “are redefining influence in the mic-powered creator economy.”

The 31-page full-color report bears the name “The Creator Effect,” and it opens with the following declaration:

The future of the creator
economy is mic-powered.
Radio and podcast creators
aren’t just entertainers —
they’re trusted guides,
community builders, and the
original influencers. Their
authenticity resonates in ways
social scrolls never could, and
brands that join the
conversations share in the
halo of that trust. 

Then, Audacy Chief Marketing Officer Jenny Nelson chimes in, noting, “I’ve always been fascinated by the talent behind the mic — how a single voice can reach thousands, yet
somehow feel like it’s speaking just to you. Growing up, the Radio was my daily companion.
On the way to school, my family would listen in the car, laughing along with our favorite
morning show and talking about the stories, jokes, and interviews throughout our day.
And yes, I called in to my favorite show to hear my name on the Radio.”

Today, Nelson is a digital audio consumer, and also enjoys podcasts, “and it just feels personal.” She says the same of radio personalities, as “these hosts are more than
entertainers — they’re friends. In fact, many have described Radio hosts as the original
influencers.”

Why” Long before “creator economy” was a buzz phrase, they were building loyalty, trust, and communities, she says. “Today, they’ve leveled up: anchoring morning shows, launching podcasts, engaging fans on social media, and showing up live at community
events. Whatever you choose to call them — creators, influencers, hosts, talent — these trusted voices are moving into the center of the thriving creator economy.”

For Nelson, the timing couldn’t be more powerful. “Creator marketing is still booming, but the ground is shifting. Social influencers often feel transactional, like a product placement in your feed. Audio is different: with chosen, intentional listening and relationships built on trust.”

Thus, sports announcers, morning show hosts, and podcasters “are fielding the future of influencer marketing one mic at a time.”

The remainder of the report, available in full here, details how authenticity wins and why trust is high among radio consumers. And, there’s a big push for all-Sports radio, which also serves as a promotional vehicle for Audacy, as it is overexposed in a space with high consumption but equally high expenses.