BBC Studios Expands Strategic Partnership With iHeartMedia to Become the Exclusive Third-party Sales Partner for BBC Podcasts in the U.S.

Rhea-AI Summary

BBC Studios and iHeartMedia have announced a multi-year partnership making iHeart the exclusive third-party advertising reseller of BBC podcasts in the U.S. market. This strategic expansion will leverage iHeartMedia's audio sales force to represent BBC's premium podcast portfolio, which includes popular shows like Global News Podcast, World of Secrets, and In Our Time.

The partnership follows BBC Studios' launch of a dedicated audio unit in early 2024 to maximize opportunities in the global audio market. Through iHeart's Triton technology, the collaboration will enable brands to incorporate BBC podcasts across BBC's digital platforms, including BBC.com, YouTube channels, FAST channels, and social media.

iHeartPodcasts, ranked as the No. 1 podcast publisher globally by Podtrac, will help extend BBC's podcast growth in the U.S. The deal builds on BBC Studios' recent partnership with Triton Digital, an iHeartMedia-owned company, for leveraging digital audio platforms and tools outside the UK.

Positive

• Exclusive partnership with the #1 global podcast publisher (iHeartPodcasts)
• Access to iHeartMedia's extensive audio sales force in the U.S. market
• Enhanced advertising capabilities through Triton technology integration
• Expansion of BBC's digital footprint across multiple platforms

Negative

• None.

Insights

Media Industry Analyst

This strategic partnership marks a significant expansion of iHeartMedia's podcast advertising dominance, securing exclusive third-party sales rights for BBC's premium podcast portfolio in the U.S. market. The deal strengthens iHeart's position in three critical ways:

• Revenue Diversification: By adding BBC's high-quality content library to their advertising inventory, iHeart gains access to premium audience segments and brand-safe content that commands higher CPMs in the podcast advertising marketplace.
• Market Position Enhancement: The partnership reinforces iHeart's leadership as the #1 global podcast publisher, creating additional scale advantages in the increasingly competitive audio advertising space.
• Technology Integration: The integration with Triton Digital's platform (owned by iHeart) enables sophisticated targeting and measurement capabilities, making the combined offering more attractive to advertisers seeking data-driven campaigns.

The timing is particularly strategic as the podcast advertising market continues to mature. BBC's prestigious brand and premium content portfolio complement iHeart's existing inventory, potentially attracting new advertisers who have been hesitant to enter the podcast space. The technology integration through Triton Digital also positions iHeart to capture a larger share of programmatic audio advertising budgets, a rapidly growing segment of the market.

For investors, this deal represents a meaningful expansion of iHeart's addressable market and reinforces the company's competitive moat in podcast monetization. The multi-year nature of the agreement provides predictable revenue opportunities while the exclusive rights create barriers to entry for competitors.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BBC Studios, producer and global distributor of innovative and world-class audio content from the BBC, and iHeartMedia, the leading audio company in the United States, today announced a multi-year deal that will make iHeartMedia the exclusive third-party advertising reseller of BBC podcasts to the U.S. market. The partnership will see iHeartMedia’s leading audio sales force work closely with BBC Studios to represent its extensive slate of premium podcasts and to amplify BBC’s content portfolio in this growing market.

BBC is home to some of the highest-quality and most popular podcasts across the globe, including Global News Podcast, World of Secrets, In Our Time, History’s Secret Heroes, and Infinite Monkey Cage. In early 2024, BBC Studios launched a dedicated audio unit to maximize creative and commercial opportunities for the BBC’s premium podcast output in the global audio market.

Louise la Grange, SVP, BBC Audio, Digital News and Streaming at BBC Studios, said: “We are delighted to expand our partnership with iHeart to represent BBC podcasts in the U.S. ad market. Partnering with iHeart as a major scale player will introduce new brands to our incredible content and is an exciting step forward for our international growth ambitions for audio. For brands who want the very best of BBC audiences in the U.S., we now have even greater capabilities via iHeart’s Triton technology to incorporate BBC podcasts in campaigns across the BBC’s digital footprint consisting of BBC.com, BBC News & BBC Studios channels on YouTube, FAST channels, and BBC social channels.”

Conal Byrne, CEO of the iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group, said: “BBC has held its position as one of the most respected, highest-quality brands in media for decades, and we couldn’t be more honored and excited to expand our relationship and represent their podcasts titles in the exploding U.S. podcast market. At iHeartMedia, with our unparalleled reach across both radio and podcasting, and the largest audio sales force in the industry, we have the ability to further extend their podcast growth in the U.S. We look forward to continuing our relationship with BBC and exploring even more opportunities to collaborate across our network.”

iHeartPodcasts is the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac. iHeartPodcasts produces thousands of shows across a wide variety of genres, that span every category from business, sports, spirituality and technology to entertainment, family, comedy and true crime – and everything in between.

This deal follows on a recent announcement from BBC Studios that it has partnered with Triton Digital, the global technology and services leader in the digital audio, podcast and radio industries, to leverage Triton’s platforms and tools to unlock new insights and opportunities for audio clients outside the UK. Triton Digital is owned by iHeartMedia.

About BBC Studios

The main commercial arm of BBC Commercial Ltd, BBC Studios generated revenues in the last year of £1.8 billion and a third consecutive year of profits of over £200 million. Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, the business is built on two operating areas: the Content Studio, which produces, invests and distributes content globally and Media & Streaming, with BBC branded channels, services including bbc.com and BritBox International and joint ventures in the UK and internationally. The business made more than 2,800 hours of award-winning British programmes last year for a wide selection of public service and commercial broadcasters and platforms, both in the UK and across the globe. Its content is internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, and includes world-famous brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, the Planet series, Bluey and Doctor Who.

BBC Studios | Website | Press Office | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram |

About iHeartMedia, Inc.

iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, with 90% of Americans listening to iHeart broadcast radio in every month. iHeart’s broadcast radio assets alone have a larger audience in the U.S. than any other media outlet; twice the size of the next largest broadcast radio company; and over four times the ad-enabled audience of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to Podtrac, with more downloads than the next two podcast publishers combined, has the most recognizable live events across all genres of music, has the number one social footprint among audio players, with seven times more followers than the next audio media brand, and is the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts. The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250130582373/en/

Angel Aristone

iHeartMedia

AngelAristone@iheartmedia.com

Kevin Sornatale

BBC Studios

kevin.sornatale@bbc.com

646-709-3314

Source: iHeartMedia, Inc.

FAQ

What is the new partnership between BBC Studios and iHeartMedia in 2024?

BBC Studios and iHeartMedia have formed a multi-year partnership making iHeart the exclusive third-party advertising reseller of BBC podcasts in the U.S. market.

Which BBC podcasts will be included in the iHeartMedia partnership?

The partnership includes BBC's premium podcasts such as Global News Podcast, World of Secrets, In Our Time, History's Secret Heroes, and Infinite Monkey Cage.

How will BBC Studios benefit from the iHeartMedia partnership?

BBC Studios will benefit from iHeartMedia's leading audio sales force, Triton technology integration, and enhanced capabilities to incorporate podcasts across BBC's digital platforms.

What technology will be used to manage BBC podcasts in the U.S. market?

The partnership will utilize Triton Digital's platforms and tools, an iHeartMedia-owned company, to unlock new insights and opportunities for audio clients.

When did BBC Studios launch its dedicated audio unit?

BBC Studios launched a dedicated audio unit in early 2024 to maximize creative and commercial opportunities for BBC's premium podcast output in the global audio market.