iHeartMedia
US audio media owner spanning radio, podcasts, streaming and ad sales.
Available information varies by company and source.
Profile record updated:
Company facts
- Official name
- iHeartMedia, Inc.
- Entity type
- COMPANY
- Founded
- 1972
- Headquarters
- 20880 Stone Oak Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78258
- Company size
- >5,000
- Market role
- Publisher & Media Owner
- Ticker
- IHRT
- Official website
- iheartmedia.com
What iHeartMedia does
iHeartMedia operates a hybrid publisher and media sales model. It owns content, audiences and distribution endpoints across radio, podcasts and streaming, then packages that reach into sellable advertising inventory for local and national buyers. The business creates value by combining broadcast scale, digital listening data, podcast supply, syndication relationships and event franchises into one commercial audio platform. It also extends monetisation through affiliate distribution, licensing of traffic and weather content, and advertiser analytics products.
Category differentiation
This is the US media company that owns radio stations, podcast networks and audio ad inventory, not merely the consumer iHeartRadio app. It is also not a pure software vendor or a standalone podcast hosting platform.
Strategic context
AI-supported assessment from the existing company research; distinguish interpretation from sourced facts.
iHeartMedia is a US audio media company that owns and operates a large portfolio of broadcast radio stations, a consumer streaming platform, a major podcast publishing network, syndicated radio programming, traffic and weather content services, and an advertising sales organisation. Its business spans both audience aggregation and monetisation: it distributes content to listeners through terrestrial radio, apps, web streaming and podcast platforms, while selling advertising, sponsorships and branded integrations to marketers and agencies. The company makes money primarily from advertising sold across broadcast radio, podcasts, digital streaming and related cross-platform campaigns. Additional revenue comes from syndication, content and data licensing, event sponsorships and measurement or analytics offerings tied to its audio inventory. Its customer base therefore includes consumers on the listening side and, more importantly commercially, advertisers, agencies, affiliate stations, broadcasters, automotive partners and other distribution partners.
Company news briefing
Briefing updated:
iHeartMedia is advancing its digital audio transition, supported by a $150 million modernisation programme and ongoing acquisition interest from SiriusXM. The company recently entered into a landmark strategic partnership with USA Lacrosse ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games, expanded its podcast network footprint, and successfully piloted agentic AI media-buying with Butler/Till to drive programmatic efficiencies. Furthermore, financial reports highlight steady growth in the Digital Audio Group, reinforced by broader inventory availability across major programmatic channels.
Business model & monetisation
The core monetisation model is advertising sales across owned and operated radio stations, podcast inventory and digital streaming, sold through direct campaigns, sponsorships and programmatic audio integrations. Pricing is primarily campaign-based, including CPM-style audio buys, national and local media packages, podcast sponsorships and branded integrations, and event sponsorship deals. Secondary monetisation comes from syndication arrangements, licensing of traffic and weather content, and analytics or measurement services that support advertisers and partners.
- Broadcast and digital audio advertising
- Ad-supported inventory sales to brands and agencies
- Podcast advertising and sponsorships
- CPM-based ads and branded integrations
- Syndication and affiliate distribution
- Licensing and partner fees tied to radio programming distribution
- Events and branded sponsorships
- Sponsorship packages and brand integrations
- Analytics and data-led advertiser services
- Measurement and insights sold with campaigns or partnerships
Products & capabilities
No products with linked sources are available in this view.
Products & market categories
Media Channel
Technology
Competitors & alternatives
- Cumulus Media
US audio media owner selling radio, podcast and digital advertising.
- NPR
Public media publisher monetising journalism, podcasts, sponsorships and memberships.
Side-by-side comparisons
Subsidiaries & acquisitions
- Voxnest
Podcast hosting and monetisation infrastructure for creators and publishers.
- Triton Digital
Audio advertising, podcast hosting and measurement infrastructure for publishers.
Recent recorded signals
Dates refer to the source publication. Older entries are historical context, not evidence of a new event.
USA Lacrosse And iHeartMedia Launch Strategic Partnership
Recorded impact score: 3/5
USA Lacrosse has entered into a landmark partnership with iHeartMedia, giving the sport access to the nation's largest audio media platform as it continues its ascent ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
iHeart Podcasters Share 5 Lessons for Enduring Franchises
Podcast · Recorded impact score: 1/5
At Adweek's Brandweek event, hosts of the iHeartMedia podcast 'Stuff They Don't Want You to Know' (Ben Bowlin, Noel Brown, Matt Frederick) and iHeart CEO Conal Byrne shared five lessons for building an enduring podcast franchise. They emphasized considering all ideas, leveraging audience contributions, balancing metrics with intuition, adapting across formats, and prioritizing human content over AI-generated content. The podcast, originating from How Stuff Works, was acquired by iHeartMedia in 2018 for $55 million. The discussion highlights the evolving landscape of podcasting and the importance of organic, human conversations in engaging audiences.
- iHeartMedia acquired Stuff Media LLC in 2018 for $55 million.
- The podcast 'Stuff They Don't Want You to Know' ranks in the top 100 podcasts in the U.S.
Legal Woes at Holdco Could Affect Clients
Agency & Consultancy · Recorded impact score: 2/5
This Media Buying Briefing (Digiday+) examines how legal troubles and court filings tied to WPP and its leadership could affect client relationships and perceptions of holding companies. The piece highlights WPP CEO Cindy Rose — approaching her first anniversary — and notes that transparency about internal transformation can be used in litigation. The briefing is part of Digiday’s Media Buying Briefing series for Digiday+ members and references related agency and media-buying coverage on the site.
- Article authors: Michael Bürgi and Seb Joseph; published August 24, 2026.
- Cindy Rose is identified in the article as WPP’s CEO, approaching her one-year anniversary leading the company.
Butler/Till pilots AI media buying for audio with iHeart
Agentic audio media buying · Recorded impact score: 3/5
Independent agency Butler/Till and iHeartMedia ran a four-week pilot in July–August 2026 testing agentic AI media-buying agents on streaming audio and podcast inventory for an unnamed U.S. agricultural client. The pilot used two matched AI agents (one from Butler/Till, one from iHeartMedia) connected via an MCP server and executed just under $10,000 in media buys via a direct agency-to-publisher purchase. Butler/Till reported a 42% reduction in campaign CPMs versus the client’s direct-buy benchmark and a higher share of premium non-skippable mid-roll podcast placements (48% vs an estimated 33% in the traditional plan). iHeartMedia said it will expand inventory availability — including broadcast radio later in 2026 — and make its Audiograph solution available through Amazon’s DSP from mid-September.
- Butler/Till and iHeartMedia piloted agentic AI media buying on streaming audio and podcast inventory during a four-week campaign in July–August 2026 for an unnamed U.S. agricultural client.
- The pilot activated media buys totaling just under $10,000 using two AI agents (one from Butler/Till and one from iHeartMedia) connected via an MCP server.
iHeartMedia Celebrates Fifth Anniversary of Cool Zone Media and Announces New Podcast "Natural Causes"
Recorded impact score: 3.5/5
Since launching in 2021, the network has surpassed 750 million downloads, launched 27 podcasts, including a new series hosted by journalist Dr. James Stout
Careers & open positions
Open positions indexed from verified career portals and applicant tracking systems.
| Position | Department | Location | Posted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board Op(Mid-Level) | Engineering & Development | Fresno, CA | |
| Promotion Director(Director) | Marketing & Growth | Minneapolis, MN (Utica) | |
| Promotions Assistant(Junior) | Marketing & Growth | Riverside, CA | |
| Communications Coordinator(Mid-Level) | Marketing & Growth | 18 Locations | |
| Campaign Success Manager(Mid-Level) | Customer Success & Client Operations | Nashville, TN; 1200 Broadway, 6th Floor, 37203 |
Explore company relationships
Questions about iHeartMedia
What is iHeartMedia?
iHeartMedia is a US audio media company operating broadcast radio stations, podcast publishing, streaming audio, syndication and advertising sales.
Who uses iHeartMedia?
Consumers use its radio, streaming and podcast products, while advertisers, agencies, affiliates, broadcasters and partners buy its media, data and distribution services.
How does iHeartMedia make money?
It primarily makes money from advertising and sponsorship sales across radio, podcasts, streaming and events, with additional revenue from syndication, licensing and analytics.
Sources & coverage
This profile uses public, official and technically observable information. Missing information does not prove that a product or relationship does not exist. The list below does not imply that every profile statement has been verified.
21 publicly documented primary sources and citations linked across the market graph.
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