iHeartMedia is announcing a multiyear agreement with Bloomberg Media which will see Bloomberg’s nearly 30 podcasts hosted on iHeart, and the two companies co-produce a dozen new ones. (A spot check does not yet show the migration of existing shows.)
Bloomberg owns and operates a robust slate of podcasts, divided in two groups: “Radio & TV Podcasts” (archived shows, sometimes called “catch-up podcasts”), and “Digital Podcasts” (which technically applies to all podcasts, but in this case it means purepods).
The first four new co-produced iHeartRadio Original podcasts will take a broad view on business topics covering subject areas like financial crime or the cost of climate or the future of an industry. The new podcasts will begin rolling out later this year, on iHeartRadio and everywhere else.
It wouldn’t be an iHeart announcement without a quote from Conal Byrne, CEO of iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group: “Bloomberg Media continues to be one of the first, most-trusted destinations for high-quality content – from market news to business trends, to deeper financial backstories on what’s moving the economy overall,” he said. “We are excited to partner with Bloomberg, not only to grow the audience of their existing slate of great shows, but to develop a whole new list of titles across the next several years, combining their editorial expertise with our mass reach and monetization.”
Bloomberg claims a 26% increase in podcast downloads last year. “Bloomberg Media delivers the global perspective and deep insight business-minded listeners crave, and new platforms such as the iHeartMedia network extends our reach with new audiences who are seeking quality, premium content,” stated M. Scott Havens, Chief Growth Officer and Global Head of Strategic Partnerships.