iHeartMedia

iHeartMedia Announces Music-First Podcast Franchise “Song Stories,” Sharing Incredible Behind-The-Scenes Stories Directly From The Biggest Names in Music

“Song Stories” hands the mic to FINNEAS allowing fans to hear directly from chart-topping performers

Listen to the official trailer HERE

Download the logo HERE

NEW YORK – July 13, 2022 – iHeartMedia, the No. 1 audio company in America and the No. 1 podcast publisher globally as per Podtrac, today announced “Song Stories,” a groundbreaking artist-led, music-first iHeartRadio podcast. Hosted by Jordan Runtagh, Writer, and Executive Podcast Producer at iHeartRadio, the new franchise will allow game-changing, chart-topping musicians to tell the incredible backstories of their songwriting process, production collaborations and eye-popping live tours in a way that audiences have never heard before. The first episode of “Song Stories” debuts July 20,2022, with new episodes launching every Wednesday on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard.

“Music is the lifeblood of iHeartRadio, and we pride ourselves in connecting fans to the artists and music they love in a way that creates immersive, unforgettable experiences,” said Conal Byrne, CEO of iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group. “The extremely personal process of creating new music, putting it down on ‘tape’ and then touring the world with it is in-and-of itself a story that fans want to hear – and ‘Song Stories’ will do just that in podcast form, amplifying those stories even more through iHeartRadio’s massive broadcast, digital and social reach.”

The inaugural season will feature FINNEAS, who went from teenage musician and producer to Academy and multi-GRAMMY award winning powerhouse producer, and critically acclaimed solo artist. He will share an inside look into the creation of his debut LP ‘Optimist,’ an album shaped largely by the events of 2020. In quick succession, upcoming seasons of “Song Stories” will feature a new artist with each dedicated season chronicling the creation of their newest album and the tour that follows. These backstories will often start far upstream, tracking an artist’s journey from the very beginnings of the creative songwriting process, all the way through to performing those songs live for fans around the world. “Song Stories” other featured artists to be announced soon.

“My connection with my fans is so important to me, and I’ve loved sharing my album with them,” said FINNEAS. “I’m so excited to team up with iHeartRadio to bring them into the intimate process of making the album through this podcast. It’s an important piece of me and I can’t wait for them to hear how it came together.”

iHeartMedia has been in the business of supporting and growing musicians’ relationships with their audiences from the beginning – through the power its nearly 900 broadcast radio stations across the country to recent podcasts like “Inside the Studio,” which has featured interviews with legends like Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Dave Matthews, Lenny Kravitz, Katy Perry, Saweetie, Bebe Rexha and more. “Song Stories” will take that to a new level, with deep access and storytelling like never before.

Song Stories” will be distributed by The iHeartPodcast Network.

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Curiosity and iHeartMedia Partner to Launch Curiosity Audio Network

Silver Spring, Md. and New York - July 12, 2022 - Curiosity Inc., the leading global factual media and entertainment company, has partnered with iHeartMedia, the No.1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, to launch the Curiosity Audio Network, which will develop and release several podcast projects throughout the year. Curiosity’s first foray into podcasting, the Curiosity Audio Network will feature original content as well as podcasts to complement programming from Curiosity’s library of documentary films, shows and series.

“We couldn’t be more excited to make our move into audio in partnership the #1 podcast publisher in the world,” said Devin Emery, Chief Strategy Officer for Curiosity. “Audio is exploding as a go-to medium for connecting with audiences, and we believe Curiosity and iHeart’s shared passion for creating curiosity-catalyzing content is going to make for highly compelling storytelling.”

“We are thrilled to join forces with Curiosity Inc. to develop premium podcasts for an audience who loves to learn,” said Will Pearson, Chief Operating Officer for iHeartPodcast Network. “The Curiosity team has built such an incredible library of knowledge for curious minds and are adding to it all the time, and we can’t wait to bring it to our millions of listeners across the globe.”

Live now on the Curiosity Audio Network is the One Day University podcast series, showcasing fascinating lectures delivered by the most beloved professors from some of the world's top colleges and universities, with episode topics ranging from Eight Books that Changed the World to Abraham Lincoln: Fact vs. Fiction. Later this year, Curiosity will premiere its first original podcast co-produced with iHeartMedia, mixing pop culture, history and true crime, with an expanded look into the mystery surrounding the life and death of the “Cold War Cowboy” Dean Reed. It’s a follow-on to the Curiosity Original feature documentary Red Elvis, available exclusively on Curiosity Stream. Also upcoming is the Untold History of Sports in America, which dives deep into the role sports have played in shaping the American psyche.

Curiosity’s video services including flagship subscription video on demand platform, Curiosity Stream, and its linear video programming network, Curiosity Channel, have approximately 24 million paying subscribers globally, making it the favored destination for factual television and documentary film audiences around the world.

As part of the collaboration, all shows will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network which is home to more than 750 original podcasts with over 440 million downloads each month. iHeartRadio Original Podcasts span every category from business, sports, spirituality and technology to entertainment, family, cooking and true crime—and everything in between—making iHeartRadio the largest publisher of podcast content in the world. Listeners can hear all Curiosity Audio Network shows on iHeartRadio and anywhere podcasts are found.

About Curiosity Inc.
Curiosity Inc. is the entertainment brand for people who want to know more. The global media company is home to award-winning original and curated factual films, shows and series covering science, nature, history, technology, society, and lifestyle. With approximately 24 million subscribers worldwide and thousands of titles, the company operates the flagship Curiosity Stream SVOD service, available in more than 175 countries worldwide; Curiosity Channel, the linear television channel available via global distribution partners; Curiosity Now, a free, ad-supported channel; and Curiosity Studios, which oversees original programming. Curiosity Inc. recently completed the acquisition of One Day University, which provides access to engaging talks and lectures from the best university and college professors in the United States. Curiosity Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of CuriosityStream Inc. (Nasdaq: CURI). For more information, visit CuriosityStream.com.

 

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Happy Money Harnesses the Power of iHeartMedia’s Platform to Reach the Next Generation of Consumers Looking to “Fund Their Happy”

Happy Money will accelerate awareness at scale through iHeartMedia, reaching nine out of 10 monthly consumers in the U.S.

NEW YORK -- July 12, 2022—iHeartMedia, the leading audio media company in the U.S. and the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, and Happy Money, a leading platform for unsecured lending in partnership with credit unions, announced a marketing partnership today that will help build awareness of and introduce Happy Money to consumers nationwide looking to fund their happiness and reduce financial stress.

iHeartMedia’s broad reach will amplify Happy Money’s efforts to provide greater access to funding in partnership with local credit unions – helping these community-focused organizations and the members they serve thrive. Together, Happy Money and its lending partners are working to provide affordable loans to qualified people – helping them achieve their dreams and goals. Happy Money’s proprietary technology platform connects credit unions with next-generation members and innovative growth opportunities at scale. In turn, these mission-aligned partners provide access to capital that, when united with Happy Money’s lending products and distribution channels, increases access to affordable lending.

“iHeartMedia’s rich consumer insights, extensive reach, and commitment to innovation made them a natural partner for Happy Money. We see them as allies of our team when it comes to driving growth for Happy Money, our credit union partners, and the communities we serve together,” said Sadira Furlow, Chief Marketing Officer of Happy Money. “iHeartMedia reaches nine out of 10 U.S. consumers every month – consumers who deserve a positive and community-driven approach to their financial success. As we explore what we can do together across the media and innovation landscape, we aim to help more Americans use money as a tool for happiness.”

The investment and strategic partnership provides marketing support for Happy Money’s initiatives and will help to further the company’s reach with a specific emphasis on increasing access for people who may have been mis-represented by typical credit score models.

“We are passionate about investing in innovative, high-growth companies making a difference in the lives of their communities and as a rapidly growing fintech company, Happy Money has a proven record of success helping people reduce and eliminate credit card debt through their Payoff Loan product,” said Hartley Adkins, President of Markets Group for iHeartMedia. “The marketing partnership with iHeartMedia will help to bolster their growth and innovation initiatives through building awareness across our multiplatform audio network, especially as they expand into new types of lending products and science-based models.”  

About Happy Money

Happy Money is a financial technology company valued at over $1.1B that offers a people-first lending experience in partnership with credit unions and other community-focused financial institutions. Building on the success of our credit card debt reduction product, The Payoff Loan™, Happy Money also offers personal loans to help people fund their dreams and goals – from important bills to home improvement projects. We believe money can be a tool for happiness; it’s all in how you use it. Through automation and proprietary underwriting models, we personalize the lending process, taking a more holistic view of an individual’s creditworthiness to offer flexible rates and payment plans that work best for their unique financial situation.

Through our proprietary distribution channels and platforms, we aim to connect our financial partners to be stronger together, help them thrive in an increasingly digital world, and enable them to provide the happier lending experience that their customers want. Backed by leading investors, Happy Money has helped nearly 250,000 members since inception – working with lending partners to fund $4.5 billion in loans*. As a fully distributed company, Happy Money has a passionate and purpose-driven employee base of over 400 people across the United States. For more information, please visit happymoney.com.

*As of 7/1/2022

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Michael Rapaport’s Wildly Popular “I Am Rapaport: Stereo Podcast,” Joins The iHeartPodcast Network

Beginning today, the show is available on iHeartRadio and all major platforms with all-new episodes releasing Tuesdays and Fridays

Listen HERE 

Download Logo HERE 

LOS ANGELES, CA (July 12, 2022) -- iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, announced today that the  “I Am Rapaport: Stereo Podcast”--- hosted by actor and director Michael Rapaport --- will join the iHeartPodcast Network. Every Tuesday and Friday, listeners will hear Michael share his strong, funny & offensive points of view on life, sports, music, film & everything in between. 

“The union of ‘I Am Rapaport’ and iHeartMedia is a merging of titans, and I could not be more excited to reach millions of new listeners and take the podcast world by storm together,” said Michael Rapaport.

Since launching in 2014, the “I Am Rapaport: Stereo Podcast” has amassed 45+ million downloads and released 925+ episodes -- Michael has never missed a week. Michael has interviewed celebrity guests such as Martin Scorsese, Shaquille O’Neal, Mike Tyson, Ice Cube, Charlamagne Tha God, Ellen Pompeo, Allen Iverson, Juliette Lewis, Method Man, among others. Michael has also performed his show live at the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal & Toronto and sold out a 30+ city live tour around the United States & Canada. 

“Michael has such a unique and authentic voice that has helped him build a huge loyal audience,” said Will Pearson, COO, iHeartPodcast Network. “We are thrilled to add ‘I Am Rapaport' to the iHeart lineup and help him reach an even larger audience across our expansive network of listeners.” 

“I Am Rapaport: Stereo Podcast” is available now on iHeartRadio and all major podcast platforms. Subscribe to listen HERE

 Podcast Embed Player: 

<iframe allow="autoplay" width="100%" height="300" src="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-i-am-rapaport-stereo-podca-27879602/?embed=true" frameborder="0"></iframe>

About Michael Rapaport

Michael Rapaport has the ear of the world with over 7 million followers and has been covered extensively by publications such as The New York Times, The New York Post, Vulture, Variety, and more. He has also been featured as a contributor on Fox Sports, Howard Stern Show, ESPN, NBATV, NFL Network, SiriusXM, DirectTV, Wendy Williams Show, Bravo, Complex & more. His passion, honesty and relentless range with focused rage makes him one of the most influential voices in entertainment, with over 35 years in the industry as an acclaimed actor in film & television and award-winning documentarian.  

 

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iHeartMedia World Premieres New Single from Murda Beatz with Quavo, J Balvin, Anitta and Pharrell; Celebrates Roger Waters During iHeartRadio Opening Night Live

Keith Urban’s “Brown Eyes Baby” Features Across “New Music Spotlight” Slots on iHeartRadio Country Stations

iHeartRadio’s YouTube Channel Releases Exclusive Interviews with Several Top Artists

NEW YORK, N.Y. – July 8 – iHeartMedia celebrated new music this week with a World Premiere debut across iHeartRadio Rhythm CHR stations for the new single “No Mas” from Murda Beatz with Quavo, J Balvin, Anitta and Pharrell on July 8. Additionally, Keith Urban’s “Brown Eyes Baby” is featured on iHeartRadio’s “New Music Spotlight” slots across Country stations on July 8.

iHeartMedia celebrated Roger Waters as he officially kicked off his This Is Not A Drill Tour in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on July 6th. The iHeartRadio Opening Night Live with Roger Waters aired on iHeartRadio’s Classic Rock Channel as the former Pink Floyd rocker talked about what fans can expect from his tour.

Throughout the week, iHeartRadio’s YouTube Channel released various interviews with hit artists including Conan Gray and Tai Verdes. Host Emily Curl had an iHeartRadio Exclusive Interview with Conan Gray where he talked about his new album “Superache” and his friendship with fellow pop star Olivia Rodrigo. Curl also chatted with pop singer Tai Verdes for the “15 Firsts” series in which he talked about being an extra in the new Top Gun movie, his new single “She Luv Me” and more.

For the latest news, music fans can follow iHeartRadio on InstagramTwitterFacebook and YouTube, and visit iHeartRadio.com.

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iHeartMedia World Premieres New Singles From Luke Bryan and Cardi B feat. Ye and Lil Durk

NEW YORK, N.Y. – July 1 – iHeartMedia celebrated new music this week with World Premiere debuts across iHeartRadio stations from several hit artists, including Luke Bryan’s “Country On” on July 1 across all Mainstream Country stations. Additionally, Cardi B’s latest single “Hot Sh*t” feat. Ye and Lil Durk had its World Premiere debut on July 1 on all Hip Hop and Rhythmic CHR stations.

Throughout the week, iHeartRadio’s YouTube Channel released various interviews with hit artists including Why Don’t We, mxmtoon and MisterWives. Why Don’t We chatted with iHeartRadio host Emily Curl about their upcoming Good Times Only Tour and new album coming soon. Singer-songwriter mxmtoon took part in the “15 Firsts” series where she revealed one of her first crushes was Hermione Granger. MisterWives chatted with Curl about their new song “Where Do We Go From Here” and how they feel about pineapple on pizza. Plus, Jimmie Allen shared exclusive details about his new album “Tulip Drive” and more on the iHeartCountry YouTube Channel.

For the latest news, music fans can follow iHeartRadio on InstagramTwitterFacebook and YouTube, and visit iHeartRadio.com.

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Swoop and iHeartMedia Bring Precision Healthcare Audiences to Broadcast Radio

Swoop’s privacy-safe patient segments can now be used by healthcare marketers to plan activation across iHeartMedia’s industry-leading broadcast radio ecosystem.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J.June 30, 2022 – Swoop, the leader in privacy-safe AI-generated audiences for healthcare marketing, today announced a strategic partnership with iHeartMedia, the leading audio media company in the U.S., that makes its custom patient audiences available for broadcast radio planning, activation and measurement. Pharmaceutical and life sciences companies can now leverage the same brand-exclusive Swoop segments they already use for digital activation to better inform media planning across iHeartMedia’s ad-enabled broadcast radio portfolio, which reaches nine out of 10 Americans monthly, driving greater engagement and conversion, and ultimately increasing Rx lift.

As one of iHeartMedia’s preferred healthcare data providers, Swoop enables healthcare marketers to move from legacy age and gender buying to data-driven broadcast radio activation in an ad-enabled portfolio that reaches more than 275 million individuals per month, representing 90 percent of the U.S. adult population.

By applying privacy-safe machine learning and artificial intelligence to a real world data universe of more than 300 million de-identified patient journeys and 65 billion anonymous social determinants of health signals, Swoop develops audiences specifically designed for a brand’s unique objectives and a treatment’s core therapeutic advantages. With the industry’s highest audience quality (AQ), Swoop patient segments can be used to more effectively plan radio media strategy, optimizing channel performance and outcomes.

“By partnering with iHeartMedia, we are bringing Swoop’s highly precise patient audiences to the largest ad-supported audio network in America, allowing healthcare marketers to more easily reach a highly engaged population that is most likely to benefit from a specific treatment,” said Scott Rines, Chief Revenue Officer for Swoop. “Applying the same audiences they already use for digital activation to broadcast radio will help advertisers optimize their reach and frequency, and develop the most beneficial media mix for their brand.”

“iHeartMedia has been leading the way in data driven media planning and delivery for all forms of audio including streaming, podcast and broadcast radio,” said Brian Kaminsky, Chief Data Officer and President of Revenue Strategies for iHeartMedia. “Our goal is to make sure we’re getting our client’s messages to the right listeners and driving results. Our partnership with Swoop, and their pharmaceutical industry-leading audience segments, powers up our ability to fulfill that promise for healthcare marketers who are struggling to find the combination of reach and audience targeting that only iHeartMedia’s combined audio platforms which includes the massive scale of broadcast radio can provide.”  

Swoop has built more than 3,000 exclusive privacy-safe patient segments for 42 of the top 50 pharmaceutical brands and 18 of the top 20 healthcare marketing agencies. Audiences are built against each client’s unique ideal patient definitions and brand objectives, and audience quality is independently verified by a third party prior to activation, providing full performance transparency. It is the first consumer health data company to become a member of the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) and assures 100% compliance with the NAI 2020 Code of Conduct Guidelines, making its segments approved for common, specialty and rare conditions, both sensitive and non-sensitive in nature.

About Swoop

Swoop (www.swoop.com), part of Real Chemistry, empowers the world’s leading pharmaceutical brands to better educate patients about disease states and the therapies that could remedy their conditions, as well as enable them to become active participants in their treatment journey. Swoop’s HIPAA-certified and NAI-accredited system of activation has uncovered over 3,000 unique target audiences for precisely activating patient populations and their healthcare ecosystems through cross-channel marketing strategies. By utilizing artificial intelligence, machine learning and evolutionary computation in conjunction with a real-world data universe of over 300 million de-identified patients and 65 billion anonymized social determinants of health signals, Swoop's segments are superior in audience quality, lead to optimal conversion and drive increased Rx lift. It’s no wonder that 18 of the top 20 healthcare marketing agencies and 42 of the top 50 pharmaceutical brands power their marketing efforts with Swoop. And we are just getting started.

 

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Tenderfoot TV and iHeartRadio Debut First Joint Weekly Talk-Format Podcast Series “Facing Evil”

From Co-Hosts of the Chart-topping and Popular Series, “Root of Evil,” Sisters Rasha Pecoraro and Yvette Gentile Examine True-Crime Cases and Discuss the Quest to Heal From Generational Trauma

Premieres July 14, Check out the Trailer HERE

WHAT:

When sisters Rasha Pecoraro and Yvette Gentile revealed the true story of their dark family history in the hit podcast “Root of Evil” in 2019, the world became invested in their journey for truth. In that series, the sisters traced their family lineage to George Hodel, the prime suspect in the infamous Black Dahlia murder case.

Three years later, Pecoraro and Gentile are back with “Facing Evil,” a new, weekly true-crime show that focuses on different, but equally resonant stories. Each week, the duo will delve into cases and apply the lessons of healing they've learned in their quest to overcome generational trauma in order to focus on the victims and individuals at the heart of the cases.

Beyond your typical true-crime chat show, the series looks at crime from different perspectives; societal impacts, prevention, survival - and most importantly, healing. Pecoraro and Gentile will be fulfilling their mother’s purpose to impact the world by using personal struggle as a platform to help others, which first began with “Root of Evil,” It’s their shared experience and perseverance that are the heart of the show. Each brings personal journeys and lived experiences to every episode.

From Tenderfoot TV, the creators of “Atlanta Monster'' and “Up and Vanished,” the new series “Facing Evil'' is the first weekly talk-format podcast collaboration with iHeartRadio.

WHO:

“Facing Evil” is produced by Tenderfoot TV and iHeartMedia, and distributed by The iHeartPodcast Network.

The weekly series is hosted by sisters Rasha Pecoraro (“Root of Evil” Co-Host, “The Biggest Loser,” LGBTQ+ Activist) and Yvette Gentile (“Root of Evil” Co-Host, Actor, Model), the co-hosts of the wildly popular podcast “Root of Evil: The True Story of the Hodel Family and the Black Dahlia.”

WHEN + WHERE:

“Facing Evil” premieres on Thursday, July 14, 2022, with the first two episodes readily available. Following episodes will be released each Thursday, and available on iHeartRadio and wherever you listen to podcasts.

One week before premiere, on July 7, a special bonus, titled “Episode 0,” that details the sisters’ origin story will be released to give listeners background information from “Root of Evil” before the launch of “Facing Evil.”

ASSETS:

Key Art HERE

Bio and Co-Host Headshots HERE

Trailer Embed Code Below:

<iframe allow="autoplay" width="100%" height="300" src="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-facing-evil-98407485/?embed=true" frameborder="0"></iframe>

ABOUT:

About Tenderfoot TV

Founded by Atlanta director and independent filmmaker, Payne Lindsey, and music industry veteran, Donald Albright, Tenderfoot TV launched in 2016 with the release of the award-winning true-crime podcast, “Up and Vanished.” The viral sensation became an international news story after influencing 2 arrests in a decade-old cold case, receiving over 400 million downloads in the process. Tenderfoot has since created additional breakthrough podcasts including the critically acclaimed “Atlanta Monster,” and “Radio Rental,” as well as the true crime hits “Monster: DC Sniper,” and 2019’s AP Podcast of the year, “To Live and Die in LA.” With over 700 million downloads to date, Tenderfoot continues to develop fiction and nonfiction projects as podcasts, and has expanded into TV and film, airing the first season of “Up and Vanished” (TV series) on the Oxygen network in 2020. Having collaborated with the likes of HBO, Netflix, iHeart, Audible, Cadence13/Entercom, and Issa Rae’s label Raedio, Tenderfoot aims to be the premiere creative hub for multi-platform storytelling. Visit tenderfoot.tv for more company information.

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iHeartRadio’s New Original Podcast “Ben Steele, American” with Host Alec Baldwin Tells the Harrowing and Inspiring Story of a Prisoner of War Turned Brilliant Artist

Based on the book "Tears in the Darkness,” the podcast recounts Ben Steele’s incredible story of survival.

Listen to the trailer HERE.

WHAT: Just months after World War II broke out, Ben Steele found himself in the Philippines, a long way from his home state in Montana, and in the most perilous circumstances. iHeartRadio’s new original limited series documentary podcast “Ben Steele, American,” hosted by Alec Baldwin, tells Steele’s harrowing story as he became a prisoner of war within the first five months of WWII and forced to take part in the brutal and deadly Bataan Death March, in which prisoners were cruelly treated while forced to march for over 60 miles. Ben came close to dying and was given last rites three times while imprisoned at a camp, yet he miraculously survived. To keep his sanity, Ben began using charcoal from the fire at the prison hospital to draw, and a lifelong love of the arts was born. 

After the war, Ben studied with famous artists and eventually made his way back home to Montana, where he taught art at a college in Billings where he had a particular empathy for, and influence on, students who had suffered traumas in their own lives.

Ben Steele, American” is a documentary limited series podcast telling the remarkable story of Ben Steele: the best of human beings in the worst of times.

WHO: Narrated by actor Alec Baldwin, “Ben Steele, American” features interviews with Ben Steele acquired over a span of 30 years before his death in 2016 at age 98. The podcast also has first-person interviews with over thirty former prisoners of war, including numerous Bataan Death March survivors, and notable history scholars from around the world.

The podcast is narrated by Baldwin, who also produced the show alongside Jan Thompson and Zach McNees. The podcast, written by Thompson and mixed by McNees, was inspired by the book “Tears In The Darkness” by Elizabeth and Michael Norman.

Baldwin has appeared in numerous productions on stage, in films and on television since his debut in 1980. He’s won three Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes and seven consecutive Screen Actors Guild Awards for his role on NBC’s 30 Rock. He’s also received nominations at the Tony Awards in 2001 for A Streetcar Named Desire and at the Academy Awards in 2004 for The Cooler. 

WHEN: The first two episodes of “Ben Steele, American” premieres tomorrow, Thursday, June 30, with new episodes released weekly on Thursdays. Listen to the trailer HERE.

WHERE: Listen to “Ben Steele, American” on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. 

EMBED CODE:  <iframe allow="autoplay" width="100%" height="200" src="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-ben-steele-american-98570427/episod…" frameborder="0"></iframe>

 

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iHeartMedia Announces First Slate of iHeartPodcasts from Its NextUp Initiative

Trans experience podcast “Beauty Translated” launches today, the first in the NextUp lineup which aims to elevate voices from all backgrounds, including members of historically underrepresented groups

Listen to the first episode of “Beauty Translated,” HERE

 

NEW YORK – June 29, 2022 – iHeartMedia, the No.1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, today announced the first slate of podcasts from its NextUp Initiative presented by the first-ever Toyota Corolla Cross. NextUp aims to empower participants of all backgrounds by giving them the tools to succeed in the podcast industry: from developing and marketing a podcast to using industry-leading software. The NextUp fellows have learned from some of iHeartRadio's top creators and have developed shows centered around their unique voices. The first podcast in the slate, “Beauty Translated,” debuts today. Hosted by Carmen Laurent, the show focuses on the transgender community in the South and touches on their experiences with coming out, launching careers, and family life. Listeners can tune into the first episode now on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are available. 

Laurent, a professional skin therapist, life-long podcast fan and trans woman, creates a safe and open space for her guests to share experiences about their lives being trans in the South––bringing awareness and visibility to an area that is not often represented in popular media the way trans people in larger cities like New York City and Los Angeles are.

“As a transgender woman, it’s very important to me that my community’s stories are shared,” says Laurent. “The NextUp Initiative has given me the tools and platform to do just that, and it’s been so inspiring to learn from industry-leading experts in the podcasting world to create a show that really amplifies our voices.”

Over the next six months, iHeartMedia will launch the full upcoming slate of shows from all eight of its NextUp fellows, covering a range of important topics from the working class to Native American identity.

“We’re thrilled to see the results of the hard work and passion that each and every creator put into their podcast,” said Anna Hossnieh, Co-Founder of NextUp and Managing Executive Producer for iHeartPodcasts. “Each show tells a different story around an incredibly important, but often overlooked issue, and the creativity we’ve seen here is just astounding. This is really just the beginning of what these creators will do.”

Full NextUp Initiative Slate of 2022 Podcasts:

  • “Beauty Translated” (Premiering Today): Hosted by Carmen Laurent, trans woman and professional skin therapist, “Beauty Translated” is a podcast made by trans people for trans people. Carmen sheds light on the trans experience in the Southeast United States––an area that has little trans visibility––and covers topics around gender transition to educate listeners. Additionally, listeners will hear featured guests open up about their lives and share personal stories around their journey with gender transition, providing support to those going through their own experiences.

 

  • BFF: Black, Fat Femme (Premiering July 12): Featuring the voices of two of the leading queer, fat, and Black changemakers, the BFF podcast examines what it means to love oneself unapologetically in a world where loving oneself often feels impossible. The podcast is hosted by Dr. Jonathan P. Higgins, an educator, national speaker, journalist, thought leader and media critic, and Jordan Daniels, a queer Afro-Jew writer and photographer, who bring their combined passion of identity and race to discuss important topics around belonging and self-love.

 

  • Tongue Unbroken (Premiering August 1): Tongue Unbroken (Tlél Wudakʼóodzi Ḵaa Lʼóotʼ) is a podcast that explores the Native American revitalization and decolonization through the eyes and mind of a multilingual Indigenous person who is Lingít, Haida, Yupʼik and Sami. Listeners will learn all about the complex concepts around identity, resilience, erasure and genocide of Indigenous languages. Hosted by X̱ʼunei Lance Twitchell, PhD and Associate Professor of Alaska Native Languages at the University of Alaska Southeast, Tongue Unbroken will feature guests leading the language revitalization and decolonial efforts across the United States, Alaska, Canada, and New Zealand.

 

  • Partition (Premiering August 15): Inspired by her first trip back home to Pakistan in 2017, Pakistani-American writer Neha Aziz explores the 1947 Partition of India and the formation of Pakistan in this historical podcast. When Britain decided they could no longer afford to control India, they granted the country independence and announced that a new country would also be formed––Pakistan. This severed the country in such a way that friends and neighbors became enemies and murderers. With this year marking the 75th anniversary, Neha brings this important story to the masses––combining robust reporting with anecdotes and commentary from her research around the Partition.

 

  • On Call with Kay-B (Premiering September 2022): On Call with Kay-B will immerse listeners in an audial journey around the medical TV shows that have been a staple in the entertainment industry for decades. These shows have drawn in audiences with not only their steamy romances and on-screen friendships, but the most over-the-top medical cases known to man. Kay B, both a veteran entertainment journalist and podcaster, as well as a trained scientist, uses her unique experience to give listeners a cultural and scientific experience. A wide variety of guests––from talent, creatives and medical consultants behind the shows to real-life scientists and medical professionals working in the field––will be featured on the show.

 

  • When You’re Invisible (Premiering October 2022): When You’re Invisible is a love letter to the working class and people who have largely been excluded in society. The podcast spotlights the different experiences of these “invisible” people––many of whom are being interviewed for the first time in their life. Actor and creator Maria Fernanda Diez draws from her experience as a first generation American born to Mexican parents, who went from living off food stamps to rising to the middle-middle class and achieving the “American dream,” to welcome and reflect on each guests’ life experiences. Listeners will hear (at times) unbelievable, yet true stories from working-class folks, nannies, immigrants, houseless folks, healthcare workers and more.

 

  • Survivors Heal with Oya L. Sherrills (Premiering November 2022): At a time when there’s a quiet movement of survivors raging right beneath the surface of the nation’s social and political floor, Survivors Heal is a podcast that explores the healing side of true crime. Host Oya L. Sherrills, an advocate, organizer, and activist of social justice, has been on the ground floor in high crime communities and has seen the reality of the staggering statistic that 1 in 4 Americans have been reported as victims of crime. The Survivors Heal podcast employs both narrative and interviews to create a niche guidebook to the grassroots conversations that have fueled a movement that touches every corner of the political landscape––policy reform, racial justice, social justice, criminal justice reform, resource allocations, and urban culture.

 

  • We, The Product (Premiering December 2022): Hosted by Priyanka Das, community organizer and activist with holistic experience in corporate America, tech start-ups, NGOs, and solidarity economy networks, We, The Product gives listeners a peek behind the curtain into the ways that surveillance capitalism has embedded itself into every facet of our society. Listeners will hear Priyanka engage with community organizers to better understand how surveillance technologies have evolved into an omnipresent force that is being weaponized as a tool to control communities. Supplemented by academic research and artistic literature, and with a critical lens to the digital market, this podcast will also highlight the ways that communities are building resiliency and fighting to make technology a tool for peoples’ empowerment.

The entire slate of NextUp shows will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network. Toyota Corolla Cross is the proud sponsor of the NextUp initiative.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Use the below audio embed code to include the “Beauty Translated” podcast player directly into your article:

<iframe allow="autoplay" width="100%" height="300" src="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-beauty-translated-98308546/?embed=true" frameborder="0"></iframe>

 

 

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