More than four hundred podcasting and audio businesses across the UK have signed an open letter to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
The letter, urging the government to recognise podcasting and audio as a core creative industry is coordinated by AudioUK.
Representing around twelve thousand people working across the country, it includes a diverse mix of major networks, production studios, and new independents.
It highlights the rapid growth, economic contribution, and international impact of podcasting and audio, calling for urgent government action to bring the sector in line with other creative industries that already receive formal recognition and support.
Despite its cultural and economic strength, the podcasting and audio industry currently sits outside key policymaking forums such as the Creative Industries Council.
It was also overlooked in the recent Creative Industries Sector Plan, which provides targeted support for film, television, and gaming but not for podcasting or audio production.
In response, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has committed to commissioning an industry-wide study to collect comprehensive data on the UK podcasting and audio landscape.
This research, expected to be published in 2026, will help establish an evidence base for future government policy and funding frameworks.
Among the key demands from the sector are formal recognition of podcasting and audio as a standalone creative industry, a seat for an industry representative on the Creative Industries Council, targeted tax relief and IP development funding, and the introduction of a specific SIC code for podcast and audio businesses to enable accurate measurement of growth and scale.
AudioUK has already begun collaborating with DCMS on this data initiative, which will cover podcasting, radio, and audiobooks.
The organisation is also working with industry partners to create a dedicated SIC code and continues to advocate for representation on the Creative Industries Council to ensure that podcasting and audio are included in future policymaking and funding frameworks.
The UK’s podcast and audio industry continues to expand rapidly, with listenership more than doubling in the last five years and annual growth estimated at between twenty and thirty per cent.
More than half of AudioUK member businesses are based outside London, creating regional jobs and promoting local stories and voices.
Chloe Straw, CEO of AudioUK, said: “Podcasting and audio have become central to how audiences experience storytelling, journalism, education, and entertainment.
“The industry creates jobs and drives growth across the UK, from Leigh-on-Sea to Ullapool, Belfast to Suffolk. Despite this rapid expansion, government policy has not kept pace. Podcasting and audio must now be recognised and supported as essential parts of the UK’s creative economy.”
Full open letter and list of signatories available here.
AudioUK Creative Industries Campaign Full Report here.
