iHeartMedia

Premiering Today, The Series is Hosted by Award-Winning Journalists Caren Zucker and John Donvan

Listen to the First Episode HERE

NEW YORK, NY (April 14, 2022) -- iHeartRadio, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, today announced the launch of a new original podcast, “Autism’s First Child,” hosted by award-winning journalists, Caren Zucker and John Donvan.

Each week, Zucker and Donvan will trace the history of Autism through the first person ever diagnosed, Donald Triplett, and hear from the rural community that helped raise him. Donald Triplett’s story is one about empathy and understanding -- now 88 years old, he has lived a full and happy life in Forest, Mississippi. Listeners will meet Triplett, hear about his remarkable life, and his diagnosis that changed history.

"It’s a story with so many layers and side roads that being able to tell it over many episodes gives us a whole story that is greater than parts,” said Donvan.

“When we went looking for the first child diagnosed with autism, we had no idea it would turn out to be such a beautiful story,” said Zucker. 

Zucker and Donvan are also the authors of the book, In A Different Key: The Story of Autism, which was a Pulitzer Prize Finalist in General Nonfiction and producers of the documentary by the same name. 

“Autism’s First Child” is now available on iHeartRadio and all major podcast platforms. Subscribe to listen HERE. 

About Caren Zucker

Caren Zucker is a director, producer and journalist who has told stories for more than 25 years across a broad range of subjects both domestically and internationally. As a producer for ABC’s World News and Nightline, working alongside Peter Jennings, Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer, she covered civil rights, presidential campaigns, economic issues and social trends. She was honored for her role in ABC’s coverage of 9/11 with two of television’s most prestigious prizes, the Peabody and the Alfred L. DuPont awards. Zucker was the producer and co-writer of PBS NewsHour series Autism Now. Her oldest son Mickey’s autism diagnosis inspired a new direction in her reporting: to bring a better understanding of autism’s realities.
 

About John Donvan

John Donvan is a veteran network correspondent and producer for ABC, CNN and PBS, and host and moderator of the Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates, which are heard on public radio and by podcast. He has also been a contributing editor to The Atlantic. During his journalism career, in addition to anchoring various ABC broadcasts, John served as chief White House correspondent, and held multiyear postings in London, Moscow, Jerusalem and Amman, Jordan. He wrote and reported for the documentary program Turning Point. The winner of four Emmys and the Overseas Press Club Award, he became interested in autism’s impact on families upon meeting his wife, physician and medical school professor Ranit Mishori, who grew up in Israel with a brother profoundly affected by autism, He has two children and lives in Washington, DC.

Orlando, Fla. – April 15. 2022 – iHeartMedia announced today the retirement of media veteran Linda Byrd, Division President for iHeartMedia Florida. As a company leader for four decades at iHeartMedia, Byrd has contributed to the success of nearly 50 different markets and countless employees. Byrd will transition out of her Division President role into an advisory role on July 15 and will continue to report to Hartley Adkins, President of iHeartMedia Markets Group.  One of the duties in her advisory capacity will be the continued involvement in iHeartMedia’s Hispanic footprint, where she has made significant contributions. 

“Having worked with Linda for 25 years, I can testify she is a once-in-a-generation leader:  Incredibly thoughtful, passionate and courageous,” said Adkins. “I am delighted Linda will get more quality time in retirement -- and very pleased we will have the advantage of three more years of her guidance as a consultant.”

Byrd has been in the industry for 45 years, the last 40 with iHeartMedia, including its predecessor companies. During this time, she has overseen 46 different markets. In addition, she has collected impressive accomplishments, including being the first female state chair for any Broadcast Association in the country and the winner of the RAB General Manager of the Year Award. Along with making Radio Ink’s Most Influential Women List for 23 straight years, the American Advertising Federation gave her the Silver Medal Award recognizing her work as an outstanding advertising professional in Florida. In addition, she has received the prestigious Florida Broadcaster of the Year Award. 

“Linda has built and grown iHeartMedia in the Florida region for more than four decades, and we’re grateful for her many years of strong leadership and teambuilding,” said Bob Pittman, CEO and Chairman of iHeartMedia. “She has also been a good friend and advisor—and as she embarks on this new chapter and gives up her operating responsibilities, we are fortunate that she’ll continue on with us as an important and valued advisor.” 

“Every company would benefit from having more Linda’s on their team,” said Greg Ashlock, CEO of iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group. “Linda has made a career of investing in people: From mentoring and developing to challenging, collaborating, and ultimately empowering. She is intelligent, invested, decisive and uncompromisingly authentic. We are better as a company because of her contributions.”

“It’s hard even to say the word retire,” said Byrd. “I have had the most fantastic career working in an industry that I absolutely love. I’ve never even thought about doing anything else. And I am so fortunate to have been on this iHeart train, and previous companies, for the last 40 years. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I am thankful and excited to have the opportunity to transition into an advisory role for the next stage of my life. And I’m truly appreciative of the support and partnership I have had for so many years with Bob, Rich, Greg and Hartley. I couldn’t have asked for a better team to learn from and work with.”

iHeartMedia is the leading media outlet in Florida with multiple platforms, including its broadcast stations; live events; data; and its digital businesses and platforms, including mobile, social and its own iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia’s free all-in-one digital music, podcasting and live streaming radio service – with 3 billion app downloads and more than 150 million registered users.

The new college sports slate in collaboration with iHeartMedia kicks off today with the weekly podcast “Walkie TalkieZ”

Listen to “WalkieTalkieZ” now, HERE

LOS ANGELES – April 13, 2022 – The newly launched College Athletes Network (CAN), founded by Ron Pivo and Brett Martzke, today announced it has teamed up with iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, to launch a new college sports centered podcast slate hosted by the athletes themselves. Listeners will hear directly from the athletes and their guests on what life is like in the world of big-time college sports and share unique insights that will take listeners behind the curtain at a variety of schools. For the first time ever, college athletes can profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL), this now allows them the freedom to become podcast hosts and earn income. There are thousands of college athletes competing at every level who all have a story to tell and the College Athletes Network together with iHeartMedia will provide the platform to help them share those experiences. The College Athletes Network will launch a new athlete’s podcast each month and will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network.

“By teaming up with iHeart, the College Athletes Network is able to provide these athletes with even more opportunity to expand their audience and increase their access to advertisers,” said Pivo. “I'm excited to introduce new voices in a variety of sports. These kids are very talented behind the mic and it's time people got a chance to hear them.”

Martzke is equally excited about the prospects, "Ron is an incredible idea guy, when he brought this to me it was 100% a no brainer. I love college sports and I think this network will help feed the passion that all college sports fans share. The stories you will hear will tug on all your emotions. The daily grind of the athletes, dealing with crazed fans and the recruiting circus they go through will really give listeners a whole new perspective of today's college athlete.”

The first show, “WalkieTalkieZ,” will debut today and is hosted by Noah Buono, a walk-on basketball player at Duquesne University. Buono has been a walk-on for two different Division One programs and his podcast will discuss walk-ons from a variety of major sports programs across the country. Nothing is off the table in these conversations, including what really happens behind the scenes that the media never hears about. Buono is not new to podcasting, he's been honing his craft for the past two years and is now ready to share his work. New episodes will post weekly beginning today on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard.

"After five incredible years of being a college basketball walk-on, I can confidently tell you that every walk-on has their own inspiring journey to tell,” said Buono. “I'm super grateful and excited that ‘WalkieTalkieZ’ now has a national platform to help share these incredible stories and I look forward to the continued growth of this podcast through the College Athletes Network and its collaboration with iHeartMedia to reach massive audiences."

In the first episode, Noah will interview a walk-on from the University of Wisconsin basketball program, who was on the team when they beat (38-0) Kentucky in the 2015 Final Four. This walk-on also has a quite a story to tell about going through a coaching change mid-season when Bo Ryan suddenly decided to retire.

Future podcasts launching this year include:

May 12 – “PlayBooked,” hosted by Chloe V. Mitchell. A podcast focused on the world of NIL. Chloe has close to three million followers on social media and back in the Summer of 2020 became the first college athlete to make money off of her name, image and likeness. She will interview fellow college athletes as they go over strategies to navigate the NIL marketplace including which companies are best to work with; how to reach out; what to say on social media; and of course, how to keep the money coming in with new deals.

June 9 – “The Birdie Bunch,” hosted by Kennedy Swann. A podcast focused on Swann's college golf journey and bridging to her attempt to make it on the LPGA Tour. Swann recently won a National Title at Ole Miss in 2021, but before that she became the first ever college athlete to enter the transfer portal. She will focus on what it takes to get recruited; dealing with a coaching change; the differences between college and junior golf; and the pros and cons of the daily grind once you turn professional.

July 2022 – “Out of Bounds,” hosted by Mackenzie and Mason Forbes. This brother and sister combo are basketball players at Harvard. They come from a basketball rich family, both their grandfather and father played for the Harlem Globetrotters. Their podcast will focus on life inside the arena and the social issues that many college athletes face on campuses across the nation.

August 2022 – “Beyond the Megaphone with Cassidy and Nathan,” hosted byCassidy Cerny and Nathan Paris. This University of Indiana cheerleading duo became insta famous during March Madness when Paris lifted Cerny up on his shoulders and Cerny knocked loose a stuck ball at the top of the backboard. While that was a great moment, these two have a lot to share about the world of cheerleading for a major program. Their podcast will focus on the behind-the-scenes performance preparation; differences between college cheerleading and competitive cheer; what cheerleaders are really talking about as the game is going on; and of course, some incredible road trip stories.

September 2022 – “Betting on Yourself,” hosted by Terry Wilson. Wilson has seen it all when it comes to playing big time college football. He played quarterback at four schools in six years. His podcast will focus on this unbelievable journey that saw him lose a battle to Justin Herbert at Oregon; a stopover in the middle of nowhere Kansas to play Juco ball and become a Netflix villain; playing hero for an SEC school; suffering a major injury and fighting back; and now the buildup to the biggest moment in his life, the NFL Draft.

October 2022 – “ The Frugal Athlete,” hosted by Amobi Okugu. Okugu is a former UCLA soccer player who was named the PAC 10 Freshmen of the Year before getting drafted into Major League Soccer. He played nine years of professional soccer before retiring. This podcast will provide an insider’s look into the financial playbooks of athletes, give insight to what it means to be a frugal athlete and discuss topics with guests that focus on sports business.

The entire slate of podcasts will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network and will be available on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard. For more information on the The College Athletes Network, visit www.thecollegeathletesnetwork.com.

About College Athletes Network

The College Athletes Network was co-founded by Ron Pivo and Brett Martzke. Pivo is a 30-year veteran in the sports broadcasting industry having worked most recently at KGW-TV in Portland, Oregon and as well as a fill-in anchor at KNBC in Los Angeles. Martzke has over 25 years of experience in sports broadcasting, working as a producer for the Golf Channel, CNN/Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports and NBC Sports. Together they will deliver content that will entertain and inform college sports fans, and to give enterprising college athletes an avenue to increase visibility for their own platform. Podcasts across The College Athletes Network are distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network.

iHeart Will Create Unique IP and Content from Both Popular and Emerging NFT Collections That Will Give NFTs Narratives and Personalities -- The First Time NFTs From Different Projects Will Be United Under One Media Universe 

Innovative Approach to Audio Content Creation Marks Another Step in iHeart’s Commitment To Bringing Web3 To The Mass Market

New York, NY – April 12, 2022 – iHeartMedia, the leading audio company in America, announced today a groundbreaking step in advancing awareness of, and demand for, Web3 products and platforms by its mass market consumer audience:  The creation of the Non-Fun Squad, a first-of-its-kind non fungible token (NFT)-based media franchise and shared media universe comprised of characters united across existing prominent PFP (profile picture) NFT collections. Phase one of the Non-Fun Squad universe will be the launch of the Non-Fun Podcast Network, a podcast slate centered around the content, characters and worlds from the Non-Fun Squad.

The IP universe and podcast slate will be created around iHeart-owned NFTs from both prominent NFT collections, including CryptoPunk #2821, Mutant Ape #10144, World of Women #7147 and #7730, as well as from emerging NFT projects, including CrypToadz #5947, Loot (for Adventurers) Bag #2020, and Quirkies #307 and #1988, dramatically extending the boundaries of innovation for audio content creation. iHeartMedia is partnering with federally regulated institutional crypto platform, Anchorage Digital, as a trusted custody solution as iHeart continues to build in Web3.

This marks the first time that individual NFT characters will be united across products and given their own stories, narratives and personalities that will drive their interactions, creating a completely unique experience in the NFT, media and audio spaces.

“There is no real precedent for this,” said Khalil Tawil, EVP and Head of Strategy for iHeartMedia. “Web3 innovations offer an entirely new IP paradigm allowing us to combine the characters from different universes and projects without running into IP rights issues.  These podcasts will be hosted by voices that portray the various NFT characters, and we are only acquiring NFTs that allow us to freely bring to life iHeart-owned NFTs in ways that work for podcasts.”

“As the leader in consumer audio, iHeart is committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation in audio content creation, and with this initiative we’re extending our Web3 and Metaverse strategy by building new experiences to entertain audiences across new and emerging platforms -- and giving our audiences compelling characters, stories and personalities that they’ll connect with,” said Conal Byrne, President of the iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group.   “We are the first company to use our expertise in podcasting, content production, live music and events to bring these characters to life -- and with our 90% reach of Americans every month, we are the only company able to promote and activate this innovative concept at scale and bring it to the mass market.”

“In addition to using our unparalleled reach and connection to our communities to extend Web3 brands and platforms to the mass market, by creating new opportunities for NFTs we’re able to show our belief in, and support for, the creators, community members and artists in the Web3 space, and explore how NFTs, art and content interact together in the Metaverse in 2022 and beyond,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia, Inc. “These NFTs and podcast slate are just the beginning for iHeart’s exploration of Web3 and the Metaverse, and we are excited to be part of this cultural moment.

About Anchorage Digital

Anchorage Digital is a regulated platform that provides institutions simple and secure participation in digital assets, all integrated with custody. As the first federally chartered crypto bank, Anchorage offers the most advanced digital asset platform for institutions and is setting a new standard for security and usability. With secure custody at its core, Anchorage delivers financial solutions for today and tomorrow. Learn more at anchorage.com and @Anchorage.

“Exploring The Brand Benefits of Trust and Companionship in Audio” study findings underscore rich opportunity for advertisers in audio environments 

NEW YORK – April 11, 2022 –iHeartMedia [NASDAQ: IHRT], the #1 audio company in the United States, and PMX, the investment arm of Publicis Media, unveiled today the results of a study focused on the rapidly growing community of audio influencers. The study, “Exploring The Brand Benefits of Trust and Companionship in Audio” found that consumers perceive radio and podcast personalities as highly relatable, trustworthy and authentic. These findings present rich opportunity for advertisers to build brand affinity and favorability, and drive purchase in audio environments. 

The new study, conducted by Magid, combines quantitative and qualitative methods to highlight the role that different audio channels play in the lives of audiences when it comes to trust and companionship. According to the research, radio hosts rank high when it comes to their perceived authenticity and connections to the communities they serve. Podcast hosts are perceived as highly honest and trustworthy. 

“With the resiliency of radio and recent explosion of the podcasting space, audio influencers have emerged as a new avenue for advertisers to continue to connect with audiences in authentic ways.” said Chris Yarusso, National Audio Practice Lead, PMX. “Our research confirms that radio and podcast hosts are perceived as some of the most trustworthy, essential, and relatable personalities in the media ecosystem.  With the diversity and variety of radio and podcast content in the marketplace, there is an enormous strategic opportunity for brands to connect with highly engaged consumers across this evolving influencer marketplace.”

The study proves promising for advertisers. Fifty-five percent of participants said they listen to commercials more often on radio and in podcasts than through any other medium. In addition, 53 percent found radio and podcast advertisements to be more relevant than on any other medium and 51 percent said they are more trusting of radio and podcast advertisers than on any other medium. When comparing radio versus streaming music services in nine consumer categories including restaurants, retail, automobiles and more, consumers who purchased a product were more likely to buy from an audio advertisement in every single category. 

“This research highlights what we call the ‘trust halo,’ the unique relationship and trust that audio listeners form with their favorite hosts, personalities and programs,” said Gayle Troberman, CMO of iHeartMedia. “Marketers benefit from this trust halo, as this connection extends into advertising, product recommendations, and the radio and podcast communities at large. Listeners feel an unmatched sense of companionship and learn more about the world and about themselves.”

Other key data takeaways from the study include:

·      Radio listeners are 129 percent more likely than listeners of other audio platforms to say they listen “to be entertained;” 

·      Podcast listeners are 158 percent more likely than listeners of other audio platforms to say they listen “to immerse myself;” 

·      Radio hosts are seen as some of the most relatable and trusted influencers, when compared to other vertical such as TV and social  

·      67 percent of podcast listeners and 74 percent of heavy podcast listeners (defined as the top 25 percent of hours listened per week) say that podcasts “motivate and inspire me;”

·      71 percent of podcast listeners and 79 percent of heavy podcast listeners say that podcasts “educate/teach me something new;”

The research also included a study in which audio listeners were asked to give up radio and podcasts for three days. Participants reported feeling “lonely,” “disconnected,” and “more overwhelmed doing simple tasks.” One radio listener said it “felt like I was being excluded from a conversation.” 

"Radio personalities are the original influencers. We found they've retained that status over time and are now joined by podcast hosts as major influencers in media today. And the data suggests that benefits advertisers in terms of the impact of their campaigns," said Mike Bloxham, Executive Vice President, Global Media and Entertainment, Magid.

WHO: iHeartRadio, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, and Propagate Content today announced a new podcast titled “Return to the Shadows with Katherine McNamara and Dominic Sherwood.” The podcast will revisit Shadowhunters the hit fantasy series that launched the Freeform network and ran for three seasons, and whose premature ending sparked a worldwide #SaveShadowhunters campaign. Returning to their time as leading duo Clary Fray and Jace Wayland, McNamara and Sherwood will delve into the Shadow World, highlighting stories from the set, favorite plotlines, and the show’s legacy - kept alive by millions across the globe.

Fans can expect conversations with many of McNamara and Sherwood’s former castmates including Alberto Rosende, Matthew Dadario, and Harry Shum Jr, as well as guest stars, producers, writers, and crew. “Return to the Shadows” is distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network.

“Return to the Shadows” is produced by Propagate Content. Executive producers are Linh Le, Katherine McNamara and Dominic Sherwood. Senior producers are Liz Hayes and Diego Tapia. Episodes are produced by Kristin Vermilya, Emily Carr and Hannah Harris with original music by Alex Kinsey.

WHAT: Return to the Shadows will bring fans into the Shadow World like never before, diving deep into Shadowhunters, the show that ended way too soon. Kat and Dom will uncover interesting facts, analyze episodes, and fill your eardrums with behind-the-scenes memories that will blow your mind. Cast, crew, fans, and friends will join our hosts along the way, giving fans the fourth season, they always wanted.

WHEN: "Return to The Shadows" will debut on April 11, 2022 with new episodes airing each Monday. Official trailer available now.

WHERE: Check out the podcast trailer HERE. The podcast is available on iHeartRadio and all other platforms.

PODCAST PLAYER EMBED CODE:

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SHOW LOGO:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/rdylucjf68elfsr/Return%20to%20the%20Shadows%20Final%203000x3000%20iHR%20%281%29.png?dl=0

About Propagate

Founded in 2015 by Ben Silverman and Howard T. Owens, who pioneered the global format business in the late 1990s, Propagate has offices in Los Angeles, New York and Paris. Its recent credits “Rebelde Way” for Netflix, “UNTOLD” for Netflix, the FOX drama “Our Kind of People,” starring Yaya DaCosta and Morris Chestnut, “Animals on the Loose: A You vs. the Wild Interactive Movie,” starring Bear Grylls for Netflix, “Escape the Undertaker,” an interactive movie starring WWE superstars for Netflix, “Notre Dame: Our Lady of Paris” for ABC and “Go-Big Show” on TBS, and the upcoming “American Song Contest” on NBC, as well as the unscripted “November 13: Attack on Paris” “Haunted” and "Prank Encounters" for Netflix, and “In Search Of” and “Kings of Pain” for the History Channel. In scripted, "Blood and Treasure" and "Broke" for CBS, “Charmed” for The CW, “Let’s Be Real” for Fox and the upcoming “Zorro” television series for NBC. Propagate also created and produced the podcast, “An Oral History of The Office” for Spotify. Propagate’s expanding portfolio of companies includes Electus (“You vs. Wild”, “Running Wild With Bear Grylls,” “Jane the Virgin,” “Fashion Star”), Big Breakfast (“Adam Ruins Everything”, “Hot Date”), Notional (“Chopped” franchise), and talent management firms Artists First, Authentic Talent & Literary Management and Select Management Group.

Shawn Mendes, The Chainsmokers, Camila Cabello, Becky G, Charlie Puth, Lauv, 5 Seconds of Summer, Tate McRae, Latto, Lauren Spencer-Smith, GAYLE and Em Beihold To Perform; Plus a Special Performance by Diplo at Dusk

Hosted by Ryan Seacrest LIVE from Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles

Wango Tango To Exclusively Broadcast Across iHeartRadio Stations Nationwide

LOS ANGELES - April 4, 2022 - iHeartMedia and KIIS FM will kick off the Summer celebrating Pop music’s legendary Summer festival, “iHeartRadio KIIS FM Wango Tango,” LIVE on June 4 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles. The event, hosted by Ryan Seacrest, will return with performances from Shawn Mendes, The Chainsmokers, Camila Cabello, Becky G, Charlie Puth, Lauv, 5 Seconds of Summer, Tate McRae, Latto, Lauren Spencer-Smith, GAYLE and Em Beihold plus a special performance by Diplo at Dusk and more.

The celebration will broadcast for fans on iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide on more than 94 stations in 94 markets on June 4 at 7 p.m. PT/10 p ET. The KIIS CLUB VIP Pre-Sale will begin Thursday, April 7 at 10 a.m. PT - become a KIIS CLUB VIP for FREE at www.kiisfm.com, keyword: VIP. All remaining tickets will be available to the general public on Friday, April 8 at 10 a.m. PT via axs.com.

“We are so excited to bring back the show that officially kicks off Summer every year in Southern California. The 2022 lineup is jam packed with amazing artists who represent the very best in pop music right now,” said Beata Murphy, Program Director of KIIS-FM Los Angeles. “Everyone can expect to see awesome performances and hear all of your favorite songs of the Summer. It also wouldn't be Wango Tango without some surprises, so join us on June 4 - we promise you won't want to miss it.”

The legendary KIIS FM Wango Tango has remained one of the most anticipated Summer events in Southern California. The event has flourished into iHeartRadio’s national kick-off to summer music celebration and is part of iHeartRadio’s roster of incredibly successful, nationally-recognized concert events including the iHeartRadio Music Festival, iHeartRadio Music Awards, the nationwide iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Concert Tour, iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina, iHeartCountry Festival, iHeartRadio ALTer Ego and iHeartRadio Podcast Awards.

iHeartRadio Wango Tango is an iHeartMedia production. Executive producers for iHeartRadio Wango Tango are Tom Poleman, John Sykes, Bart Peters and Beata Murphy for iHeartMedia.

Proud national partners for this year’s event include Meta, with more to be announced. For news and information about the 2022 iHeartRadio KIIS FM Wango Tango visit iHeartRadio.com/WangoTango or follow #WangoTango on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

 In her most personal investigation yet, Noor examines how the media’s representation of Muslims impacts American culture and society

NEW YORK – April 4, 2022 – Noor Tagouri, an award-winning journalist, producer, and podcaster, along with her production company At Your Service (AYS), today announced the launch of “Rep” in partnership with iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac.  This bold, wide-ranging investigation examines how the depictions of Muslims have and continue to influence the greater population by looking into the relationship between politics, pop culture, public opinion, and how they build belief systems. The iHeartRadio Original Podcast will premiere Monday, April 4th during Arab American History Month. Episodes will be released each Monday through June. The first episode is available now on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard.

Through in-depth interviews, multimedia clips and retrospective moments with thought leaders such as award-winning author, motivational speaker and educator Ilyasah Shabazz; Rep. Ilhan Omar and her daughter Isra Hirsi; Hip-Hop artist and community leader Brother Ali; singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) and political staffer Huma Abedin, Noor examines the misrepresentation of Muslims in U.S. media and how this impacts American culture.

As a consummate storyteller and journalist endearingly known as “Podcast Noor,” she deconstructs and analyzes the stories Muslims tell each other, the stories others tell about Muslims, and how these stories shape reputations. 

“My intention with ‘Rep’ is to challenge the concept of the value of representation,” said Noor. “This series is about questioning what we’ve been told about ourselves and our community to understand what it means to be an individual who ‘reps’ themselves. I believe that if you really know yourself, and I really know myself, we will always be able to find pieces of ourselves in each other. And suddenly, our world begins to make sense.” 

Identity and the importance of proper representation are at the center of all Noor’s and AYS’ work. AYS was founded in 2019 with a different approach towards storytelling. Noor’s guided storytelling sessions which she discovered and debuted with her show “Podcast Noor” led to the unique style of the Rep series. Noor practiced this particular form of storytelling for over a year before turning it into an investigative series.

“Our difference is in our perspective: a journalist’s approach to the world and its stories,” said Adam Khafif, co-founder of AYS and Executive Producer of Rep. “Through a lens of service for the narratives often unseen, AYS prioritizes intention and integrity. By passing the mic and amplifying those conversations, the natural outcome is intention-driven work that serves our shared community with stories that connect us.” 

For Rep, AYS assembled a team of esteemed producers and creators such as Zaron Burnett and Jason English, both serving as Executive Producers; Mumu Fresh, a singer/songwriter, and rapper who wrote and composed the theme song; senior producer Emilia Brock and more. As the creator and producer of the renowned history podcast Black Cowboys, Zaron brought a precious and unique perspective to this project and first hand experience on how the stories we hear shape us. 

“My dad didn’t want slavery to be my only image of Black people in American history, so every night he filled my dreams with these incredible stories of Black cowboys,” said Burnett."

“Rep” will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network, which is home to more than 750 original podcasts with over 430 million downloads each month. iHeartRadio Original Podcasts span every category from business, sports, spirituality and technology to entertainment, family, comedy and true crime—and everything in between—making iHeartRadio the largest publisher of podcast content in the world. 

Fans can visit iHeart.com/apps to download iHeartRadio and listen to “Rep” on their favorite device.

Follow Noor on social media:

Facebook: Noor Tagouri

Instagram: @noor

Twitter: @NTagouri

YouTube: Noor Tagouri

About Noor Tagouri

Noor Tagouri’s innovative storytelling spans across media. At 28, Noor is an award-winning journalist and producer, a touring speaker for over 10 years, and has told stories in every medium from radio and print, to documentaries and brand campaigns. In 2019 Noor founded At Your Service Imprint, a consulting and production company telling representative stories as a form of service. With a finger on the pulse of people’s concerns, Noor’s storytelling is recognized for her innovative approach to fostering relationships across lines of difference.

New Weekly Sports Comedy Podcast Enlightens and Entertains on All Things NBA

Listen now HERE

WHAT: iHeartPodcasts and the National Basketball Association (NBA) today debuted “Miles and Jack Got Mad Boosties,” a new co-produced weekly show from the iHeartMedia and NBA podcast slate that covers basketball in a fun and humorous way. Listeners won’t find any hot-takes, or breakdowns on how to defend the pick-and-roll, but instead hosts Jack O'Brien and Miles Gray will bring their wit and unique insights to a show that celebrates all things NBA. Alongside a special guest each week, Jack and Miles will use current events as well as the NBA archive to enlighten and entertain their audience.

In the first episode, the guys will sit down with actor, podcaster and comedian Jacquis Neal about growing up in the 90s as a massive Bulls fan, his favorite Michael Jordan moment and which player actually changed the game more than Jordan. They will do a deep dive on Ja Morant defying the laws of physics on the court, which random Grizzlies player needs to be mic’d up every game and why Lance Stephenson blowing in LeBron James’ ear during a playoff game might be the craziest thing that ever happened in the NBA.

WHO: Jack O’Brien is the Head of Comedy for the iHeartPodcast Network and has an intense love of basketball. He launched Cracked.com in 2006 and was a driving force behind the site’s editorial and video content until he left in 2017 to launch the West Coast Studio for HowStuffWorks. Under O’Brien’s leadership, Cracked grew into the most visited humor website on the internet, and one of the fastest growing brands in humor. As the Head of Comedy for the iHeartPodcast Network, O’Brien has launched hit shows like “Behind the Bastards,” “Fake Doctors, Real Friends,” “The Ron Burgundy Podcast” and “This Is Important.” He also co-hosts the popular comedic news and pop culture podcast “The Daily Zeitgeist.” Jack grew up in a basketball family and has been attached to the game since birth. He is the grandson of NBA coaching legend Dr. Jack Ramsay, and the son of former Celtics, Pacers, and Sixers head coach Jim O’Brien.

Miles Gray is a Los Angeles native with an encyclopedic knowledge of 90s media and a deep love for basketball. As a producer, writer and director of award-winning digital content for companies like YouTube and Conde Nast, he transitioned to podcasts when he joined the HowStuffWorks/iHeartPodcast Network. He also co-hosts “The Daily Zeitgeist” with O’Brien and although he did not grow up on NBA courts, he is a life-long die-hard Lakers fan and knows everything about the team. He also thinks he can still touch rim.

WHEN: “Mad Boosties” publishes new episodes each Thursday.

WHERE: “Miles and Jack Got Mad Boosties: An NBA Podcast” is distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network and is available now on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard.

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Together the two companies will leverage Super League’s highly sought after, brand-safe inventory and iHeartMedia’s sales force and unparalleled relationships with brands to create new and unique ways to connect advertisers to metaverse audiences at scale

Santa Monica, Calif. – (March 30, 2022) – Super League Gaming, (Nasdaq: SLGG), a leading network of metaverse games, monetization tools, and content channels, and iHeartMedia (Nasdaq: IHRT), the leading audio company in America, announced today a partnership that will leverage iHeartMedia’s massive North American sales force of 1,500 sellers in every major market nationwide, as well as its vast roster of partners, to bring Super League’s highly-sought after ad inventory and influencer network to brands looking to gain entry to the metaverse. The two companies will also collaborate on the development and rollout of iHeartMedia’s “iHeartLand” virtual spaces and fan experiences across metaverse platforms as well as the distribution of Super League’s immersive new 3D and NPC (non-player character) ad units.

With this newly-forged alliance, Super League will share its deep knowledge and insights on open metaverse gaming platforms such as Roblox and Minecraft. This includes the company’s robust suite of exclusive analytics to help guide the go-to-market plans and future-forward sales strategies for iHeartMedia’s portfolio of premium brand advertisers. Super League’s ad tech solutions feature a platform deployed within more than 150 curated, brand-safe games in Roblox that reach more than 70 million monthly active players; measurable formats within the largest free Minecraft server host community in the world, Minehut; and dynamic home page placements across dozens of YouTube channels collectively boasting more than 65 million subscribers who are passionate about gaming entertainment. This partnership reaches far into the depths of the metaverse to provide iHeartMedia’s sales team – North America's largest and most powerful – with full access to Super League’s coveted, measurable, and ground-breaking metaverse ad inventory and products that are brand-friendly and kidSafe certified.

Creators and developers working with Super League will continue to have full control over the ads that appear in the environments they have built and grown, with iHeartMedia poised to ramp up their monetization opportunities at an accelerated pace.

“Generation Z does not distinguish between physical and digital worlds, moving fluidly between the two in their daily existence. iHeartMedia has been a defining brand at this very intersection, combining digital and physical content experiences that delight consumers and fans,” says Matt Edelman, Chief Commercial Officer of Super League. “It is awesome to be working alongside iHeart as they extend their brand into the metaverse and deepen their commitment to providing impactful solutions to the top advertisers on the planet.”

“As we develop and introduce our unique iHeart experiences in the metaverse this year, we’re thrilled to partner with Super League to create new and compelling ways to connect our brand partners to passionate fans in our virtual spaces and beyond,” said Jessica Jerrick, Executive Vice President, Digital Distribution and Platform Partnerships for iHeartMedia. “Super League's expertise, coupled with their best-in-class ad tech and expansive inventory across Roblox games, puts them at the forefront of this exciting space and makes them an ideal partner for iHeartMedia’s new extensions in the metaverse.”

With Super League’s metaverse mastery and iHeartMedia’s expertise in delivering one-of-a-kind experiences, the partnership is poised to raise the bar for younger consumers and the brands who want to reach them. Through exciting and immersive events supported by innovative marketing campaigns, consumers can expect rich experiences that weave together real life and virtual life with compelling content, exclusive merchandise, exciting competitions and much more.

“iHeartMedia gets it – they’re not messing around. They know that the metaverse is not a passing fad - it’s here to stay,” says Ann Hand, Chairman and CEO of Super League Gaming. “They recognized that only a premium partner could provide the specific expertise and quality, brand-safe experiences they need. Super League’s proven track record fits that bill and we are thrilled to be working together with them on their upcoming metaverse experiences.”

Super League Gaming

Super League Gaming (Nasdaq: SLGG) builds and operates networks of games, monetization tools and content channels across metaverse gaming platforms that empower developers, energize players, and entertain fans. The company’s solutions provide incomparable access to an audience consisting of players in the largest global metaverse environments, fans of hundreds of thousands of gaming influencers, and viewers of gameplay content across major social media and digital video platforms. Fueled by proprietary and patented technology systems, the company’s platform includes access to vibrant in-game communities, a leading metaverse advertising platform, a network of highly viewed channels and original shows on Instagram, TikTok, Snap, YouTube, and Twitch, cloud-based livestream production tools, and an award-winning esports invitational tournament series. Super League’s properties deliver powerful opportunities for brands and advertisers to achieve impactful insights and marketing outcomes with gamers of all ages. For more, go to superleague.com.