LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK, January 23, 2024 —iHeartMedia, the number one audio company in America, and Rukus Avenue Radio, the world’s largest South Asian radio and podcast network, today announced a partnership to make iHeartRadio the exclusive home for Rukus Avenue Radio.
iHeartRadio launched Rukus Avenue Radio this week, making it the first-ever mainstream network in North America dedicated to South Asian culture. From a robust catalog of celebrity-hosted podcasts to being on the pulse of Indian and South Asian music, adding Rukus Avenue Radio will offer something unique for iHeartRadio’s millions of listeners.
South Asia makes up the largest addressable marketplace in the world of over a billion and a half people. With Indian media and entertainment expected to rise to a $74B per year enterprise by 2027 globally, Rukus Avenue Radio’s emergence is a larger illustration of the growth of South Asians consuming podcast and radio content.
"We are excited to welcome Rukus Avenue Radio to the iHeartRadio app,” said Michael Biondo, iHeartMedia President of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships. “We are committed to delivering diverse content to our audiences and this partnership also provides Rukus Avenue with the platform to reach millions of new listeners."
“This moment is indeed transformative,” said Sammy Chand, Chairman & CEO of Rukus Avenue. “Our South Asian culture is rich and diverse, and we have so much to share with everyone. Having Rukus Avenue Radio on iHeartRadio not only celebrates our community, but also gives people of all backgrounds a common place where they can press play and experience the best our culture has to offer.”
Rukus Avenue Radio aired special programming from January 19-21 to celebrate its launch on iHeartRadio, with its regular slate of shows beginning on January 22. With programming raging from Punjabi to Carnatic to the rise of South Asian Hip Hop music, to Bollywood culture and socially relevant discussions that help shape the evolving identity of the South Asians living abroad, Rukus Avenue Radio provides listeners the opportunity to hear weekly one-hour shows from hosts covering the hot topics that matter to the South Asian diaspora around the world.
About Rukus Avenue Radio, Inc.
Founded in 2018, with a current listenership of over 10 Million listeners a month, Rukus Avenue Radio is the most listened-to South Asian radio and podcast network globally. With over 50 hosts recording weekly shows around the world, Rukus Avenue Radio generates over 200 hours of original content a month.
Rukus Avenue Radio is a subsidiary of Rukus Avenue Music Group. Founded in 1996 by Sammy Chand, Rukus Avenue is noted for spearheading India’s hip-hop movement and guiding the cross-country careers of some of the top Indian artists in North America and India, Rukus Avenue has been Hollywood’s go-to for all things India related. Twice Emmy nominated for their music supervision work, Rukus Avenue's music has been featured in over 75 film and TV shows (including “The Oprah Winfrey Show”, “Indian Matchmaking” and David Letterman’s “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction”).
Rukus Avenue assembled the largest collection of artists to ever come together for a charitable album, when they collaborated with the United Nations and their fight against human trafficking on a 60 track, 55 artist, triple CD compilation (featuring some of the world’s most famous musicians, activists, and dignitaries including President Jimmy Carter, Quincy Jones, and AR Rahman).
For more information visit www.rukusavenueradio.com or www.rukusavenue.com
