iHeartMedia

Survey Shares Unique Insight on Today’s Consumers’ Trust of iHeartRadio and the Appeal of Live, Local and Culturally-Relevant Conversation with On-Air Human Personalities

New York, NY – January 07, 2019 – iHeartMedia today released the results from a survey that provides deep insights into why radio is America’s most trusted medium. The survey found iHeartMedia’s focus on live and local programming and the deep, connection on-air personalities have with listeners has led to iHeartRadio being considered the most trusted name in radio and its on-air personalities being more trusted than leading talk personalities in other media.

Research continues to show that 9 out of 10 Americans listen to radio every day and the new survey revealed that 84% of respondents (people) said radio understands what is important to them, a number that is over 20% greater than network and cable television and social media. In addition, 8 out of 10 people feel that radio aligns with their core values, which is number one across all media. 

In addition, leading iHeartMedia personalities were cited as more trustworthy and relatable than top television personalities. People cited these on air personalities’ ability to “make radio more expressive and real than other media” and that these personalities “care about things that matter” to listeners. Furthermore, this trustworthiness leads to greater consideration of brands that advertise on iHeartMedia radio stations.

“In a moment where consumer trust in media and marketing is eroding, it’s important to know that consumers continue to trust iHeartRadio most because of our live, local and human focus,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. “We empower our on-air personalities to curate the conversations, content and culture that are important and relevant to the everyday life of their specific audiences. It’s this human first approach to programming that differentiates iHeartMedia and provides the perfect context for brands wanting to connect and build deep, trusted relationships with their consumers.” 

“In a time when trust matters most to consumers, trust has become a critical criteria for media investment decisions and these findings are extremely compelling because they spotlight our unique and personal role in people’s lives each and every day,” said Gayle Troberman, Chief Marketing Officer of iHeartMedia. “Furthermore, it spotlights why iHeartMedia is a leader in audio and reaches over a quarter billion listeners each month. Our personalities are more than just a voice on the radio, they are a trusted friend who shares common values 24/7 across 850 stations nationwide…and only iHeartMedia can deliver that scale, with the intimacy and authenticity consumers want.”

Some key findings:

·       More people trust radio than any other medium. When broken down, radio is:

o   +81% more trustworthy than cable TV

o   +27% more trustworthy than network TV

o   +36% more trustworthy than public TV/radio 

o   Two times more trustworthy than social media 

·       8 in 10 people feel radio aligns with their values

·       75+% of listeners believe radio on-air personalities are more trustworthy than TV personalities

·       85% of listeners believe radio personalities make radio more real and expressive than other media

·       80% of listeners feel radio personalities care about their audience and care about “things that matter to me”

·       iHeartRadio is the most trusted brand in radio, two times the trust of other radio companies

Source: AskSuzy Survey December 2018; *iHeartMedia “Influencer Marketing,” April 2018

New York, NY – January 3, 2019 – iHeartMedia announced today that Hetal Patel has been named Executive Vice President of SmartAudio® Intelligence Insights, effective immediately. Patel will report to Brian Kaminsky, President of SmartAudio® and Analytics Group for iHeartMedia.

In her new role, Patel will lead the SmartAudio® Intelligence Insights team to create research and insights that shape iHeartMedia’s value proposition. Her responsibilities will include providing critical consumer insights, market intelligence and industry trends to iHeartMedia teams, markets and executives by leveraging expertise in areas such as audience analysis, advertising sales metrics and media and digital consumer research. In addition, Patel will work closely with iHeartMedia’s partners on the development of next-generation analytics, techniques and products including Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Sentiment Analysis and more.

iHeartMedia’s industry-leading marketing optimization tools include SoundPoint (programmatic real-time radio ad buying platform) and SmartAudio® , which enables advertisers to do impression-based audience planning and dynamic radio ad creative that utilizes real-time triggers such as weather, pollen counts, sports scores, mortgage rates and more to deploy different campaign messages based on what is happening in a specific market at a specific moment.  SmartAudio® has allowed brands to use broadcast radio ads to dynamically serve the most relevant message in each market, at each moment, just as they do with digital campaigns to ensure increased relevance and impact. In addition, iHeartMedia has recently acquired Jelli, Inc., the pioneering technology platform for programmatic buying and selling of broadcast radio, and which also powers SoundPoint.

“With our groundbreaking tools like SmartAudio® and SoundPoint, and our recent acquisition of Jelli, iHeartMedia products and new capabilities are transforming how advertisers reach their core audiences,” said Kaminsky. “We’re thrilled that someone with Hetal’s extensive research background and intimate knowledge of iHeartMedia will be playing such a key role in developing our next generation of data driven advertising, attribution and ad effectiveness products.”

Patel brings over a decade of consumer insights and research experience to her new role, most recently as Head of Sales Research & Insights for Vox Media. She previously spent four years as a key member of iHeartMedia’s research team, moving up the ranks to become Vice President of Research, Insights & Analytics. Patel’s background also includes positions at Radius GMR and KPMG Nunwood. She began her media career in 2006 as a research executive for The Nielsen Company based in Mumba, India. Patel is a graduate of the University of Mumbai.

“It really is the golden period of audio,” said Patel. “I am thrilled to be returning to iHeartMedia where data and consumer are genuinely front and center, which means working on truly disruptive and future ready research initiatives designed to address the client and marketplace needs. It’s truly humbling and an honor to be a story teller and voice for iHeartMedia.”

New York, NY – December 19, 2018 – iHeartMedia announced today that Eric Hadley has been named Senior Vice President of Marketing, effective immediately. Hadley will report to Gayle Troberman, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for iHeartMedia.

Audio is a fast-growing category encompassing the scale of broadcast radio, which reaches a quarter of a billion monthly listeners, digital, podcasts, smart speakers, live events and more. In this newly created role, Hadley will utilize iHeartMedia’s position as the leading audio company in the United States to reimagine marketing for advertising partners. He will work closely with advertising partners advising them on their audio strategy, to ensure that clients understand how to best plan, buy, measure and optimize the audio experience.

“As the leader in audio, we understand more than anyone that we’re at a key moment when all things audio are growing,” said Troberman. “It’s important that we have someone who understands data, content, planning and creative. Eric's experience on the client, agency and media sides of the table will help us continue to lead the way with audio.”

Hadley is an experienced digital sales and marketing executive with roles spanning across a range of marketing and sales positions focusing on consumer, b2b and brand marketing and sales management for large companies, agencies and starts-ups. He has worked at Microsoft, The Weather Channel, Outbrain and most recently was the Chief Marketing Officer of the location marketing platform, GroundTruth. Hadley has been named an American Advertising Federation Hall of Achievement winner and an Ad Age Media Maven. In addition, his work has been recognized and named to top industry awards including the Effie awards and at Cannes Lions.

“I am excited to join the iHeartMedia team,” said Hadley. “As the leader in audio, iHeart has the complete offering needed to help marketers drive results. There are few companies today that have the daily reach and impact of iHeartMedia.”

Performance-Filled Show to Air Live from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles

NEW YORK, N.Y. – December 13, 2018 – iHeartMedia and Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX) announced today that the fan-driven 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards will air live Thursday, March 14, 2019 (8:00 -10:00 PM ET live /PT tape-delayed) on FOX, from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The event will once again broadcast live simultaneously on iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide and on iHeartRadio, the all-in-one digital music, podcast, on demand and live streaming radio service.

Now in its sixth year, the iHeartRadio Music Awards is a star-studded event celebrating the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout 2018, while also offering a preview of the upcoming hits of 2019. The show will feature live performances from the biggest artists in music, as well as surprise duets and collaborations, and award presentations in multiple categories. Since the Awards’ inception in 2013, the show has included live performances and appearances by such superstar artists as Bon Jovi, Maroon 5, Camila Cabello, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Ed Sheeran, Big Sean, Rihanna, Sam Smith, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Blake Shelton, Pharrell, Pitbull, Justin Bieber and many others.

In addition to celebrating music and artists, the iHeartRadio Music Awards celebrates the fans, millions of whom cast their votes for their favorite artists through social media. Ranking as one of the most talked-about television events in social media this past year, the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards garnered over 216 billion social media impressions in the U.S. alone. It also proved its strength on individual platforms, such as Twitter, where the official hashtag of the evening, #iHeartAwards2018, trended #1 on Twitter worldwide and in the U.S. in more than 30 cities.

“This is a show that is truly controlled by music fans, because it celebrates the artists and songs that they listened to all year long on our 850 broadcast radio stations and the iHeartRadio app,” said John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises for iHeartMedia. “FOX has established itself as a premier television destination for music fans, which has made it a natural home for our Awards.”

“There’s no more powerful brand in the business than iHeartRadio,” said Rob Wade, President, Alternative Entertainment and Specials, Fox Broadcasting. “iHeartRadio is fans’ first stop to listen to their favorite artists and find the next breakout star. We’re proud to be their partner as we honor this year’s biggest music artists.”

Among the many winners of the 2018 Awards were Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” for Song of the Year, Taylor Swift for Female Artist of the Year, Ed Sheeran for Male Artist of the Year, Cardi B for Best New Artist, Maroon 5 for Best Duo/Group of the Year and U2 for Best Tour. Chance the Rapper received the most prestigious award of the evening – the 2018 iHeartRadio Innovator Award – for his groundbreaking accomplishments in the music industry and his unsurpassable contributions to social causes. In addition, L'Oréal Paris and iHeartRadio presented Camila Cabello with the first-ever Fangirls Award, which recognizes a female artist who has pushed boundaries with her music and message, while inspiring fans around the globe. And Bon Jovi received the first-ever iHeartRadio Icon Award for their global impact on pop culture, longevity and continued relevance as a touring and radio force with a loyal fan base worldwide.

More information about the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards, including the award categories will be announced at a later date. Tickets go on-sale on January 16 at axs.com.

About Fox Broadcasting Company

Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX), a unit of 21st Century Fox, is home to some of the highest-rated and most acclaimed series on television, including 9-1-1, EMPIRE, THE ORVILLE, THE GIFTED, THE RESIDENT, LETHAL WEAPON, GOTHAM, STAR, THE SIMPSONS, FAMILY GUY, BOB’S BURGERS, HELL’S KITCHEN, MASTERCHEF, MASTERCHEF JUNIOR, THE FOUR: BATTLE FOR STARDOM, BEAT SHAZAM, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE and GORDON RAMSAY’S 24 HOURS TO HELL AND BACK; as well as new series THE COOL KIDS, REL, LAST MAN STANDING, THE PASSAGE, PROVEN INNOCENT and THE MASKED SINGER. FOX airs 15 hours of primetime programming a week, as well as major sports and Sunday morning news. Through the FOX NOW app, FOX viewers can watch full episodes of their favorite FOX shows on a variety of digital platforms, while enjoying enhanced interactive and social capabilities around those shows. Download the FOX NOW app at www.fox.com/foxnow. To watch primetime programming live on the web, visit www.fox.com/live. “Like” FOX on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FOXTV and follow the network on Twitter @FOXTV. For additional information about FOX, please visit www.fox.com.

About Microsoft Theater

Microsoft Theater hosts over 120 music, family, dance and comedy acts, award shows, televised productions, conventions and product launches with over 500,000 guests passing through the doors annually. The 7,100-seat theater offers guests mid-sized intimacy, with no seat further from the stage than 220 feet. Microsoft Theater offers 12,000 square feet of VIP & hospitality areas, 10 dressing rooms and state of the art technology making it is a favorite indoor venue for performers and fans alike. Since opening in October 2007 with six sold out shows featuring the Eagles and Dixie Chicks, Microsoft Theater has hosted concerts starring the most popular artists including Alan Jackson, Katy Perry, Charlie Wilson, Juan Gabriel, Aretha Franklin, Ed Sheeran, John Fogerty, Gabriel Iglesias, Kanye West, Marc Anthony, Sesame Street Live, John Legend, The Avett Brothers, Neil Young, Steely Dan, Trey Songz, Kelly Clarkson, Rush, Yanni, Nicki Minaj, Juanes, Cat Stevens, The American Idol Finale shows, Michael Jackson’s This is It, Straight Outta Compton, The Hunger Games and Twilight Movie Premieres and many more. Microsoft Theater is home to the American Music Awards, ESPYs, Primetime Emmy Awards, BET Awards, People’s Choice Awards, Radio Disney Music Awards, 2010, 2011 & 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, 2014 & 2015 MTV Movie Awards and the 2013 Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame.

Microsoft Theater is centrally located within L.A. LIVE is a 4 million square foot / $3 billion downtown Los Angeles sports and entertainment district adjacent to STAPLES Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center featuring Microsoft Theater, a 7,100-seat live theatre, a 2,300 capacity live music venue, a 54-story, 1001-room convention “headquarters” destination (featuring The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles and JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE hotels and 224 luxury condominiums – The Ritz-Carlton Residences at L.A. LIVE – all in a single tower) , the GRAMMY Museum, the 14-screen Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14 theatre, broadcast facilities for ESPN along with entertainment, residential, restaurant and office space.

Launching in early 2019, “The Ron Burgundy Podcast” will be co-produced by Funny Or Die and iHeartRadio

NEW YORK – December 3, 2018 – The legendary newscaster Ron Burgundy and iHeartMedia, the No. 1 commercial podcast publisher globally with over 20,000 podcasts available on its iHeartRadio platform—both of whom are kind of a big deal—announced today “The Ron Burgundy Podcast.” The audio series will launch on the iHeartRadio Podcast Network in early 2019 and the iconic anchorman is beside himself with glee to once again grace the world with his presence.

“The Ron Burgundy Podcast” will be co-produced by Funny Or Die and is an iHeartRadio Original podcast. This momentous moment will mark the return of the legendary anchorman himself, Ron Burgundy, who has been delighting fans all over the world since the hit movie Anchorman was released in 2004. Burgundy has signed on for two 12-episode seasons, with season one to launch in the first quarter of 2019 and the second season expected to air mid-2019. Excerpts of the audio series will also be distributed across iHeartRadio broadcast radio stations and via social media channels.

"Listen, I don't know what a podcast is, but I currently have a lot of time on my hands and a lot to talk about,” said Ron Burgundy, host of “The Ron Burgundy Podcast.” “I am also broke. Therefore, I am very excited to do this podcast. It is literally saving my life."

“To be honest, we don’t want to do this podcast and we just want to get this announcement over with as soon as possible,” said Conal Byrne, President of the iHeartPodcast Network. “Ron quite literally forced us into making this podcast with him, first calling us more than one hundred times in a single day and then proceeding to actually show up at our doorstep and physically force himself into our studios. We do hope the podcast is well-received, but in the meantime, we hope by agreeing to do the announcement he will stay away.”

Ron is still represented by his long-time agent Buzzy Chanterelle of Let's Make Magic Entertainment. Let's Make Magic is a local San Diego agency whose roster includes mostly stunt men, magicians and animal handlers. And let’s not forget Lance Alworth, who he represented for six months, and Chuck Muncie!

"By the way, if iHeartRadio says that I harassed them into making a podcast, it is a lie!! A boldface lie!!” said Burgundy. “Did I call them one hundred times in one day? Yes! But that's called persistence! I have filed suit against iHeartRadio for these salacious claims. I will be representing myself legally, since I currently do not have enough money to hire an attorney."

Burgundy will release an official trailer in the coming months on iHeartRadio and everywhere else podcasts are heard.

About Ron Burgundy

Ron Burgundy is a legend. He is also a news anchorman for KVWN Channel 4. Not only is he an extremely talented news anchor, but women also find him wildly attractive. Burgundy lives with his dog Baxter in San Diego, CA, USA.

About Funny Or Die

Funny Or Die is a premiere entertainment brand and comedy studio that creates award-winning comedy. Known for its celebrity driven content across digital, social and streaming platforms, Funny Or Die has a global reach of one billion monthly, and is the #1 comedy brand on both Facebook and Twitter. Funny Or Die's Emmy Award-winning long-form division produces shows like the critically-acclaimed Brockmire for IFC, Emmy nominated Billy on the Street, the Peabody award-winning American Vandal for Netflix, the Emmy nominated Sarah Silverman series I Love You, America for Hulu and No Activity for CBS All Access.  FOD also makes award-winning TV commercials and Branded Content for brands such as Pepsi, NFL, McDonald’s and Chrysler.

Exclusive Interviews with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards Hosted by Q104.3’s Jim Kerr Will Air on iHeartRadio Stations Nationwide on Monday, November 19 at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT

New York, NY – November 19, 2018 – iHeartMedia, the leading audio company in America which also has a greater reach in the U.S. than any other media outlet, will air a special broadcast on Monday, November 19 at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT announcing the Rolling Stones U.S. 2019 Stones – No Filter tour. New York’s Q104.3 host  Jim Kerr, will speak on air with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, who will tell the story behind their upcoming 2019 NFL stadium tour to millions of listeners on iHeartRadio stations nationwide, helping provide unprecedented instant awareness and advance ticket purchase information.

“The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World is coming back to America and we’re thrilled to be able to use iHeartMedia’s unparalleled national reach to give millions of Rolling Stones fans the first look at the U.S. leg of the Stones – No Filter tour,” said John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises at iHeartMedia. “This band is legendary for their stadium tours and we are proud to be with them on every date next year.”

Local iHeartMedia Classic Rock, Classic Hits, News/Talk and Sports stations will also launch a two-week multiplatform campaign from Friday, November 23 until Thursday, December 6 to support the Stones – No Filter tour that will include tens of thousands of on-air spots to drive fans to view the entire Stones – No Filter tour schedule. iHeartRadio will also launch a limited time “Rolling Stones – No Filter Radio” custom station available free to listeners exclusively on the iHeartRadio app on November 30.

Beginning Friday, November 30 through Thursday, December 13, iHeartMedia and tour promoter AEG will launch a national on-air and online promotion across 134 Classic Rock and Classic Hits stations giving one fan a chance to win a once in a lifetime Rolling Stones tour experience.

Tickets for the Stones – No Filter tour go on sale to the general public on Friday, November 30 at 10 a.m. ET via RollingStones.com and Ticketmaster.com. 

Acquisition is a Key Component of iHeartMedia’s SoundPoint Programmatic Platform to Help Advertisers Build Innovative Campaigns Targeting Key Audience Segments by Leveraging the Power of Broadcast Radio’s Scale

NEW YORK, NY – November 19, 2018 – iHeartMedia, the leading audio company in America which also has a greater reach in the U.S. than any other media outlet, today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Jelli, Inc., the technology company that powers its SoundPoint programmatic platform. The Jelli platform is the pioneering technology foundation for programmatic buying and selling of broadcast radio, and this acquisition will enable iHeartMedia to further leverage Jelli’s assets to continue to create for brands a digital-compatible buying platform for broadcast radio that includes targeting and creative optimization based on data and attribution tools compatible with the offerings of the major digital players. In addition, “Expressway from Katz,” the industry’s programmatic buying ad exchange for the country’s leading radio groups, will continue to remain independently run by Katz, powered by Jelli.

Broadcast radio is the #1 mass reach medium reaching 93 percent of the U.S. population and engaging consumers longer than even the largest digital platforms. While broadcast radio has the highest consumer engagement of any major medium, prior to the 2015 launch of SoundPoint --  iHeartMedia’s groundbreaking programmatic and automated ad buying solution powered by Jelli -- broadcast radio had lacked the targetability and real-time automated interface that digital offers. The SoundPoint platform allows advertisers and agencies to leverage iHeartMedia’s broadcast stations through both its radio and digital organizations, delivering both strong results and digital compatible analytics. 

“Facebook and Google pioneered a new way for advertisers to interface with media partners to improve targetability, the ease of buying and measurement of results, and our programmatic platform puts us in the position to participate in the modern data driven ecosystem for our broadcast radio audience as well as our digital audiences,” said Brian Kaminsky, President of SmartAudio® and Analytics Group for iHeartMedia.  “We have been excited by the advances we made with Jelli as our partner and the acceptance from our advertising partners.”

“At iHeart we believe marketing is both math and magic.  The math is our rich data and insights about our users and how they relate to our partners’ products and services -- and the magic is the incredible creative ideas we bring to our partners, such as our iconic music events, award shows, influencers, podcasts, social reach and our unique on air promotions. Jelli allows us to do something no other company can do -- advertisers can now buy and use our broadcast assets, reach and impact just as they use the major digital players. We now offer heavy data and heavy creative innovation all in one place,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia, Inc. “We are excited about having Jelli not only for the platforms they are creating and have created for us, but also to lead our aggressive and innovative ad tech development.”

Today, iHeartMedia’s suite of innovative marketing optimization tools include SoundPoint (programmatic real-time audio ad buying platform) powered by Jelli and SmartAudio®, which enables advertisers to do impression-based planning of data driven audience segments. Additionally, SmartAudio® offers dynamic ad creative that utilizes real-time triggers such as weather, pollen counts, sports scores, mortgage rates and more to deploy different campaign messages based on what is happening in a specific market at a specific moment. SmartAudio® has allowed brands to use broadcast radio ads to dynamically serve the most relevant message in each market, at each moment, just as they have done with digital campaigns to ensure increased relevance and impact.

“By pairing iHeartMedia’s reach and multiplatform assets with our cloud-based advertising technology, we are positioned to provide a single platform for advertisers to reach all audiences, no matter where they are consuming audio,” said Michael Dougherty, co-founder and CEO of Jelli. “As audio consumption continues to explode, we are thrilled to be joining the iHeartMedia team, accelerating Jelli’s mission of transforming audio advertising through technology innovation.”

Over the past decade, Jelli has transformed radio broadcasting by creating the first cloud-based platform to support and improve the audio ecosystem, making it easier and faster to buy and run audio advertising. Their current offerings include RadioSpot, the only programmatic platform for radio broadcasters to sell and manage their advertising inventory and SpotPlan, the first and only programmatic platform for radio, delivering agencies and advertisers an automated way to efficiently plan and buy audio advertising and providing access to iHeartMedia as well as Expressway from Katz. 

As part of the acquisition, Jelli will continue to operate as a company within iHeartMedia, Inc. led by President and CEO Michael Dougherty and his team. The Jelli division will continue to be based in Silicon Valley and will become iHeartMedia’s primary ad technology operation.

About Jelli

Jelli is the largest technology platform for the $40 billion global radio market. Our mission is to create the easiest and fastest way to buy and run audio advertising. In order to achieve this, we developed a cloud-based ad platform that enables advertisers and publishers to buy and sell audio advertising programmatically. Our patented technology is used by some of the largest broadcasters and advertisers in the audio marketplace, reaching hundreds of millions of listeners monthly and serving billions of ad impressions per year. Investors include Relay Ventures, Intel Capital, First Round Capital, iHeartMedia, Universal Music Group and several prominent angel investors. To learn more, visit www.jelli.com.

NEW YORK – November 13, 2018 – iHeartMedia, the No. 1 commercial podcast publisher globally with over 20,000 podcasts available on its platform, announced today that NPR will be honored with the first-ever iHeartRadio Podcast Pioneer Award at its inaugural iHeartRadio Podcast Awards Presented By Capital One® on January 18, 2019 at 8 p.m. PT at the iHeartRadio Theater Los Angeles.

iHeartRadio will recognize NPR as a driving, innovative force in the creation of the podcasting industry and will pay tribute to the renowned non-profit multimedia organization’s groundbreaking contributions to podcasting’s expanding role in today’s popular culture. NPR launched its first digital-only podcasting predecessor, “All Songs Considered,” in April 2000 and officially debuted NPR Podcasts in August 2005 with a full slate of 174 programs, including 17 original podcasts. In less than a year, they reached 13 million downloads for all of their podcast programming and reached more than 80 million downloads by February 2007. Today, NPR remains a leading podcasting publisher with over 40 active podcasts on topics ranging from the day’s news to arts, culture, and science, that reach a unique monthly audience of 16,386,000 (per podtrac).

“When we decided to honor the biggest names in podcasting with our first awards show for podcasts, we knew we wanted to recognize NPR’s unparalleled impact on how millions of listeners consume audio content,” said Conal Byrne, President of the iHeartPodcast Network. “We’re thrilled to be able to honor their trailblazing efforts with our first-ever iHeartRadio Podcast Pioneer Award in January.”

“We are honored to receive the Podcast Pioneer Award. Podcasts have been a major source of innovation for NPR,” said Anya Grundmann, Senior Vice President for Programming and Audience Development at NPR. “They have given our reporters the chance to flex their storytelling muscles, pursue creative ideas and longer stories, and play with form in ways not always possible on a daily show. They have also helped us connect with listeners in new ways and helped us evolve our sound.”

The iHeartRadio Podcast Awards Presented By Capital One®, voted by the listeners to honor the very best in podcasting, will span 22 categories and will celebrate the incredible talent and wide variety of leaders across the booming podcasting industry.

Hosted by Holly Frey, co-host of “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” one of today’s biggest history podcasts; Charlamagne Tha God, nationally-syndicated on-air host and co-host of “The Brilliant Idiots” and “The Breakfast Club” podcasts; and Bobby Bones, top Country radio host, multiplatform personality and host of the leading Country music focused podcast “Bobbycast” and creator of the Nashville Podcast Network, the event will run 90 minutes and will include a live audience with a live stream hosted by on-air and TV personality Mario Lopez. Presenters include Payne Lindsay (“Up & Vanished”), Aaron Mahnke (“Lore”), and Jake Brennan (“Disgraceland”), with more to be announced.

The iHeartRadio Podcast Awards Presented By Capital One® will honor the most entertaining and innovative podcasts of 2018 as well as celebrate podcast fans by giving listeners the opportunity to decide the winners in 17 of the 22 categories.

A panel of blue-ribbon podcast industry leaders, creatives and visionaries including Marc Smerling, “Crimetown”; Jake Brennan, “Disgraceland”; Jody Avirgan, ESPN “30 for 30”; Anna Hossnieh and Shereen Lani Younes, “Ethnically Ambiguous”; Alex Blumberg, Gimlet; Conal Byrne and Chris Peterson, iHeartMedia; Aaron Mahnke, “Lore”; Anya Grundmann, NPR; Max Cutler, Parcast; Owen Grover, Pocket Casts; Maggie Taylor, PRX; Chuck Bryant and Josh Clark, “Stuff You Should Know”; Holly Frey, “Stuff You Missed in History Class”; Donald Albright and Payne Lindsay, Tenderfoot TV; Sim Sarna, Unqualified Media; and Hernan Lopez, Wondery will determine the winner in five major categories: Podcast of the Year, Breakout Podcast, Best Branded Podcast, Best Social Impact from Podcast/Host and Podcast Innovator Award.

Fans can vote for their favorite podcasts through January 6, 2019 online and socially across Twitter and Instagram. Visit iHeartPodcastAwards.com for a complete list of nominees and voting details. Winners will be announced during the live show and stream filled with unique celebrations at the iHeartRadio Theater Los Angeles.

Pitbull, Nicky Jam, Steve Aoki, Farruko, Nacho, Becky G and Zion & Lennox, Manuel Turizo, Mau & Ricky

And Corazón Latino Honoree, Marc Anthony Perform Live On One Stage in Miami

New York, NY – November 5, 2018 – The fifth annual iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina celebrated the best in Latin music on Saturday evening with star-studded performances by Pitbull, Nicky Jam, Steve Aoki, Farruko, Nacho, Becky G and Zion & Lennox, Manuel Turizo, Mau & Ricky and Corazón Latino Honoree, Marc Anthony at the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami. The event, hosted by Enrique Santos brought the power of the iHeartRadio Music Festival to Latin music. The event broadcasted LIVE nationwide across iHeartMedia’s Spanish-Pop, Tropical, regional Mexican and Spanish Adult Hit radio stations nationwide.

This year, iHeartMedia and Enrique Santos presented Marc Anthony with the third annual iHeartRadio Premio Corazón Latino Award (Please see b-roll link HERE). The award honors an individual that exemplifies their big heart through their selfless work in enhancing the lives, heritage and future of the Latin community. Besides his music and acting accomplishments, in 2012, the six - time GRAMMY® and Latin GRAMMY® Award winner launched the Maestro Cares Foundation. Marc Anthony is receiving this award for his support in hosting a series of fundraisers throughout the year to benefit the non-profit organization and build orphanages in Latin America.

Straight from the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, the magic of iHeartRadio came to Latin music with an extraordinary lineup that included the following highlights:

• Marc Anthony closed the 2018 iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina concert with a three-song performance, which included hits like, “Tu Amor Me Hace Bien," "Vivir mi Vida," and "Flor Pálida”. Before his performance, the latin superstar was honored with the 2018 iHeartRadio Premio Corazón Latino Award — while accepting the award, Anthony said, "For me this is a great night for so many reasons. I want to accept this award in behalf of my team, who have been by my side for so many years. This is on behalf of my people. This is for Puerto Rico. On behalf of being Latino.”
• Pitbull was once again the life of the party. Mr. Worldwide performed all of his biggest hits in his hometown of Miami, including "Don't Stop The Party," "Feel This Moment," "Hotel Room Service," "Dame Tu Cosita," "Fireball" before concluding his set with "Give Me Everything."
• During Steve Aoki’s set, Fiesta Latina performer Becky G joined him on stage to cake one lucky fan in the face.
• Becky G lit up the stage during her performance, which included her French Montana & Farruko collaboration, "Zooted," "Cuando Te Besé," "Mayores," as well as her latest single featuring Natti Natasha, "Sin Pijama,” and a remix of Daddy Yankee's "Dura.”
• Nicky Jam delivered all of his fan favorite songs including "El Perdón" and "X.”
• Zion & Lennox delivered a fiery performance full of flames as they performed their hit songs.

The iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina is part of iHeartMedia's incredibly successful roster of major concert events including the iHeartRadio Music Festival, iHeartRadio Music Awards, the nationwide iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Concert Tour Presented by Capital One®, iHeartCountry Festival, iHeartRadio ALTer Ego and iHeartRadio Wango Tango and the iHeartRadio Podcast Awards Presented By Capital One.

Proud partners of the 2018 iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina include 7 Tickets are available now to the general public via iHeartRadio.com/fiesta. Proud partners of the 2018 iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina include AT&T and AVEENO®.

Live broadcast and streaming stations across México and the U.S., plus podcasts now available on one platform throughout México

NEW YORK and MEXICO CITY (October 29, 2018) – Grupo ACIR, a Mexican leader in broadcasting for more than 50 years, and iHeartMedia, the leading audio company in America which also has a greater reach in the U.S. than any other media outlet, today announced an exclusive partnership that will bring iHeartRadio, the free all-in-one digital music, podcasting and live streaming radio service, as well as offer listeners and fans across México access to iHeartMedia’s roster of incredibly successful, internationally recognized iHeartRadio branded events. iHeartRadio México is available now in beta, with the official launch Nov. 3 at the iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina. Listeners can download the app via Apple App Store or Google Play Store and listen online at iHeart.com.

iHeartRadio México will include all 56 Grupo ACIR and 850 iHeartMedia live broadcast radio stations from across México and the U.S. showcasing an unparalleled amount of music, news/talk, comedy and sports content. Listeners will also enjoy all of iHeartMedia’s exclusive digital-only iHeartRadio Original stations spanning all genres of music including popular stations like On The Move w/Enrique Santos, iHeart80s Radioand more, as well as Grupo ACIR’s own offer of digital-only stations featuring the most popular genres in México.

Users will also have access to the top English and Spanish language podcasts and on-air personalities everywhere they are on the devices they use most. 

“We are excited to expand our partnership with Grupo ACIR to launch iHeartRadio México and now make iHeartRadio available across all of North America,” said Darren Davis, President of iHeartRadio and iHeartMedia Networks Group. “To extend iHeartRadio’s footprint across México allows us to expand our brand and reach to even more listeners globally.”  

“This partnership will allow us to better connect with our audience by delivering an incredible free music listening experience and providing amazing technology to our users and partners,” said Antonio Ibarra, CEO of Grupo ACIR. “Our advertisers will also benefit from new comprehensive digital tools to reach their consumers more efficiently.”

To celebrate the launch of iHeartRadio México, Grupo ACIR will award a lucky music fan a once-in-a-lifetime VIP experience at the fifth annual iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina in Miami on November 3.  Hosted by Enrique Santos, the mega-concert will celebrate the best in Latin music with performances by Pitbull, Nicky Jam, Steve Aoki, Farruko, Nacho, Becky G and Zion and Lennox, Manuel Turizo, Mau & Ricky and Corazón Latino honoree Marc Anthony. 

Grupo ACIR is recognized as the most prestigious radio company in México, featuring some of the country’s top radio brands, such as Amor, Mix, and La Comadre.

iHeartRadio is currently available across the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Canada and now México. The all-in-one digital service has more than 121 million registered users, has been downloaded more than two billion times and is available on more than 250 devices spanning digital auto dashes, tablets, wearables and smartphones, on virtual assistants, smart speakers, TVs, gaming consoles and more. Visit iHeartRadio.com to start listening.