iHeartMedia 3 - RAIN News

iHeartMedia and NBA release a portfolio of 11 new podcasts; create iHeart/NBA Podcast Network

Posted on February 27, 2023 by Brad Hill

iHeart Media and the National Basketball Association have revealed a slate of team-specific shows released to what is being called the iHeart/NBA Podcast Network. The lineup includes original podcasts from six NBA teams – the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs. Click through for show details and listen links. Continue Reading →

First-person sponsor endorsements under FTC scrutiny; one case resolved

Posted on February 14, 2023 by Brad Hill

A prevailing type of sponsor message in podcast advertising is the host-read personal endorsement of a product or service. If you listen to a lot of podcasts, you develop an impression that companies give away a high volume of samples as the basis of this marketing strategy. An FTC investigation — started last year and completed last week — potentially pokes a hole in that assumption. Continue Reading →

iHeartMedia selects Sarah van Mosel to lead the iHeart Audience Network

Posted on May 2, 2022 by Brad Hill

iHeartMedia today announces that Sarah van Mosel, formerly CRO of Stitcher, will lead the company’s new iHeart Audience Network (“iAN”), an highly scaled audio inventory and audience targeting environment that spans podcasting (iHeartPodcast Network), streaming audio (iHeartRadio), and the vast reach of the largest commercial radio group in the U.S. Continue Reading →

Podcasts for immersion; radio for entertainment (iHeartMedia research)

Posted on April 11, 2022 by Brad Hill

iHeartMedia released results of a consumer survey about how listeners releate to audio presenter — radio and podcasts hosts. iHM partnered with PMX (part of Publicis Media) to execute the study, which is titled “Exploring the Brand Benefits of Trust and Companionship in Audio.” Click through for the takeaways. Continue Reading →

iHeartMedia joins with Collab Inc. to launch Curativity and new kids podcasts

Posted on March 29, 2022 by Brad Hill

iHeartMedia is partnering with digital talent network/studio to form a new network called Curativity. The alliance kicks off with three kid shows. Continue Reading →

iHeartMedia partners with Veritone’s synthetic voice/translation tech to broaden global podcast reach

Posted on February 17, 2022 by Brad Hill

In a signal of how well resourced networks can use technology to enlarge their footprints, iHeartMedia is pairing with audio-AI company Veritone to translate and synthetically voice iHeart’s leading podcasts for Spanish-speaking markets. Click for details, and a link to RAIN’s interview with Veriton president Ryan Steelberg. Continue Reading →

iHeartMedia plants a stake in the meta era with VR and tokenization plans

Posted on January 13, 2022 by Brad Hill

In what Chairman/CEO Bob Pittman calls “a unique opportunity,” and Digital Audio Group CEO Conal Byrne calls “the incredible potential of web3,” iHeartMedia announced its intention to develop “meta” experiences on the Roblox platform. There is an emphasis on tokenized communities — click through for more on that. Continue Reading →

Imagine Entertainment jumps into podcasts with iHeartMedia

Posted on December 6, 2021 by Brad Hill

Imagine Entertainment, founded by Brian Glazer and Ron Howard, has struck an exclusive co-production, distribution, and presumably monetization deal with iHeartMedia, bringing the TV/film company into podcasting. The partnership will collaborate to launch six new series over the next two years distributed through the iHeartPodcast Network. Continue Reading →

iHeartMedia podcast biz +184% in Q3 as “cohorts” replace one-to-one marketing.

Posted on November 9, 2021 by Brad Hill

In the third quarter, iHeartMedia’s podcast revenue gained 184% compared to the same quarter last year. That according to Chairman/CEO Bob Pittman during the Q3 earnings call. Much talk of Podtrac status, success metrics, and post-cookie revenue generation. Continue Reading →

Paris Hilton joins five media companies to build new podcast

Posted on October 25, 2021 by Brad Hill

From iHeartRadio we receive a notice that Paris Hilton is at the center of a new podcast production, Trapped In Treatment. It will launch in 2022, and is a combined effort of the celebrity with four media companies: iHeartMedia, London Audio (a division of 11:11 Media), Warner Bros., Unscripted Television, and Telepictures. Continue Reading →

Investor note bullish on podcast & streaming as “catalyst” for leading radio groups

Posted on October 21, 2021 by Brad Hill

Equity research analyst at B. Riley Securities, Daniel Day, projected growth metrics for the second half of this year, and 2022, for three top radio groups — iHeartMedia, Audacy, and Cumulus Media. His “robust growth estimates” for digital revenue are his most bullish outlooks, with a particular focus on podcasting. Click for details. Continue Reading →

Buyer outlook: 38% plan to increase podcast spend, but a third don’t buy it at all

Posted on September 23, 2021 by Brad Hill

In a buy-side survey of marketers by WARC and iHeartMedia, an interesting chart catches our eye. It is a budget outlook for 2021, indicating which media categories will be increased, and which are not used, by percentage of responses. Click for details and graphics. Continue Reading →