iHeartMedia

New York, NY – March 12, 2021 – iHeartMedia announced today that Nicky Sparrow has been named iHeartMedia’s Senior Vice President of Multicultural Sales for the Markets Group, effective immediately. Sparrow will report to Julie Donohue, President of Multi-Market Partnerships and will be based out of Jacksonville, Florida.

In her new role, Sparrow will be responsible for leading multicultural ad sales revenue for the Markets Group division by leveraging iHeartMedia’s unparalleled assets including radio, digital, podcasting and events. Sparrow will apply her deep knowledge of multicultural audiences and strong relationships with multicultural ad agencies and brands to build, drive, influence and execute strategic multicultural initiatives across the iHeartMedia sales organization.

“As the leader in audio, it’s important to ensure that our markets represent the growing multicultural communities we all live in and that we continue to reach and connect with diverse audiences,” said Donohue. “Nicky continues to demonstrate strong leadership skills and with her expansive experience, expertise in sales and vision for creating an innovative, strategic focus on our multicultural audiences, I am fully confident she is the person to lead our multicultural sales efforts.”

“I’m thrilled for this next step in my career,” said Sparrow. “I’ve been with iHeartMedia for more than 20 years, and I can’t wait to take my experience and strong relationships with partners and advertisers to further deliver and create innovative and effective multicultural opportunities for our consumers that will not only grow our portfolio of assets, but represent and truly connect with our diverse audiences.”

Sparrow is a media veteran with more than 20 years of sales experience, serving in multiple high-level management sales roles across major markets including Jacksonville, New Orleans, Memphis and Tallahassee. She most recently served as the Market President for iHeartMedia Jacksonville where she worked closely with key advertising and marketing partners to create and deliver unique, effective opportunities to reach consumers through iHeartMedia's unmatched assets, including on-air, online, digital assets, personality endorsements and live event integrations. Sparrow began her career at iHeartMedia Mississippi as a sales representative in 1999.

In addition, Sparrow's passion for giving back to her community runs deep. She volunteers as a Presenter at the Media Sales Institute where she speaks and provides mentorship to students at HBCUs discussing how a media sales department works. Sparrow is also a board member for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as well as on the board of First Tee of North Florida.

Copenhagen - March 5, 2021- To honor International Women’s Day on March 8th, the popular true crime podcast “Forgotten: Women of Juáre‪z” is released simultaneously and globally in three new languages. The translation into new languages will allow Forgotten to shed more light on the hundreds of Mexican women who have been abducted in the world’s most dangerous city, and on the misogyny and systemic sexual femicide in Mexico and around the world. Hosted by influential local voices, the podcast is launched in Spanish, German and Danish and is the first in a planned pipeline of locally adapted content initiated by iHeart and Podimo to expand the reach of powerful stories to bigger and more relevant audiences.

The adapted titles “Olvidadas: Las muertas de Juárez” for the Spanish speaking, “Vergessen: Frauen von Juárez” in German, and “De Glemte Kvinder fra Juárez” for the Danish listeners revisit and explore a chilling phenomenon in the Mexican city of Juárez beginning in the early 1990’s: Young women were abducted, sexually abused and killed during their trips from home to school or work. Their remains were later found in ditches, dumps and sewages - even in mass graves in the desert - but the crimes were never solved.

Eva Lægdsgaard, Chief of Strategic Relations at Podimo says: “The aim of Podimo’s and iHeart’s multi-language release is to broaden the scope and expand the reach of powerful stories to bigger and more relevant audiences, benefitting creators and listeners. But ultimately, it is about making sure these women are never forgotten.”

Originally produced by iHeartMedia and Unusual Productions and translated by Podimo, the adapted versions feature existing content from the original podcast created by journalists Mónica Ortiz Uribe and Oz Woloshyn. But also introduces new elements, including interviews with families of the victims and statements from journalists and police authorities on both sides of the border.

Mónica Ortiz Uribe says: "So many storytellers have come to Juárez to tell the stories of these missing and murdered women. And often the final project isn't in Spanish, so it's not something that the families, who make a huge emotional investment in the projects, can ultimately listen to and judge. That is why it is so important to me that we give them that opportunity."

The Spanish version “Olvidadas: Las muertas de Juárez” is hosted by investigative journalists Rossana Fuentes Berain and Sandra Romandía (among the most influential women in Mexico), who guide their listeners closer to answers. Closer to understanding what actually happened in Juárez, and why it could happen? An understanding that is more crucial than ever, when it comes to raising awareness and stopping the violence against women - and the ensuing impunity. In additional episodes in Danish and German, renowned journalists Ane Cortzen, Düzen Tekkal, and Leyla Yenirce bring the misogynist themes of the Mexican story closer to home in Denmark and Germany.

“Olvidadas: Las muertas de Juárez” will be released exclusively on Podimo on March 8, 2021, and is the first in a planned series of adapted podcasts that bring important stories to life in a local context. The translated series will be distributed worldwide via the iHeartPodcast Network beginning March 22, 2021 and will be available on iHeartRadio and all major podcast platforms.

“As podcast audiences continue to grow here in the United States, with more than

100 million Americans a month now listening to a podcast, the medium is also

starting to explode around the world,” says Conal Byrne from iHeartMedia, and continues: “So, while we distribute all of our shows everywhere listeners want to listen, we’ve also been working on translating select shows into listeners’ native languages. This all ties back to our simple, consistent goal: Meet listeners where they are, so as to get the best creators in the world, the audiences they deserve, and brand partners the scale that they need.”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Ad funded versions of the show will be released on the open RSS feed on March 22nd in Spain and Denmark. In Germany, the show will be released both on Podimo and the open RSS feed on March 8th. Bonus episodes will be available exclusively on Podimo in the Danish, Spanish and German versions of the show.

Germany

Hosts: Leyla Yenirce & Düzen Tekkal

Link to German version.

Denmark

Host: Ane Cortzen

Link to Danish version.

Spain & LatAm

Hosts: Rossana Fuentes Berain & Sandra Romandia

Link to Spanish & Latin America version.

About Podimo

Podimo is a European podcast platform that offers personal recommendations for users, while supporting creators through a new revenue share model. Currently live in Denmark, Germany, Spain, and across Latin America, the app features great podcasts from anywhere in the world via RSS feeds, and is free to download and listen with no login required. As a Premium member, you’ll unlock access to an additional 600+ Podimo produced and licensed shows that can’t be heard anywhere else, and your membership fee is shared directly with the podcast creators you listen to each month. Visit podimo.com for more information

Upcoming Projects Include “Unsung,” Created in Collaboration With The Award-Winning Story Pirates, And “Diane’s Inferno” Starring Actress and Musician Maya Hawke and Interscope Recording Artist Yungblud

LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK – MARCH 2, 2021 – Veteran film producer Jonathan Glickman’s Glickmania Media (RESPECT, THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2) and iHeartMedia, the number one podcast publisher globally as per Podtrac, today announced a joint venture that will include a two-year podcast co-production deal, focusing on a slate of original music-driven podcasts across many genres. As part of the deal, Glickmania and iHeartMedia will aim to release a minimum of two new podcasts per year together, which will be available on iHeartRadio and all major podcast platforms.

The collaboration will kick off with this summer’s “Unsung” series, which will be created in partnership with the wildly popular Story Pirates, creators of the number one podcast for kids. Additional co-produced titles will include the horror-musical “Diane’s Inferno” starring Maya Hawke and Yungblud, written and directed by Lisa Duva with original music overseen by executive producer Zach Dawes; “Lost You On The Dance Floor,” a murder mystery set against the rise and fall of the disco phenomenon, penned by renowned music journalist Matt Diehl; and from Jonathan Ezra and Robbie Roth comes the musical drama/journalism series, “Ballad Of An Outlaw,” which considers would-be Reagan assassin John Hinckley Jr.’s integration back into society.

“I believe there’s no better way to communicate a narrative than matching brilliant storytellers with equally talented music composers and performers,” said Glickmania Founder and CEO Jonathan Glickman. “By combining the spectacularly supportive iHeartRadio’s expertise with our deep well of existing relationships, we can support a panorama of experienced and emerging artists in a creative environment that enables everyone to take meaningful ownership of their work in the podcast space and beyond.”

“Glickman is a name that is synonymous with developing some of the most creative and compelling IP in the entertainment space,” said Conal Byrne, CEO, iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group. “They know how to tell stories in totally new ways - and those are the creators we love to support. We are excited to join forces with Glickmania Media to introduce this innovative, music-first slate of podcasts to millions of listeners across the globe.”

-more-

About the slate:

UNSUNG, which will unite Glickman with the number one family podcast creators, the Story Pirates, is described as “Schoolhouse Rock meets Hamilton.” The podcast will create original hip-hop-driven tracks to create mini-musicals telling the stories of under-celebrated heroes across all fields, ranging from trailblazers who made a difference through social change to leaders in the areas of science, sports, and the arts. Enhancing the musical performances, each episode will highlight a different unsung hero through an engaging discussion between a kid and a modern-day expert in that subject’s field. “Unsung” will provide a spectrum of heroes – ranging from tennis player Althea Gibson to early Space Exploration pioneer Mary G. Ross to musician Sister Rosetta Tharpe – their moment to shine in a vibrant podcast using musical storytelling to connect with all generations of listeners.

DIANE’S INFERNO, written and directed by Lisa Duva, is a gender-flipped, horror musical retelling of Dante’s Inferno, set through the modern hellscape of New York’s underworld. Maya Hawke (STRANGER THINGS) voices Diane, a backup singer who crosses the East River, takes the H Train, and fights demons as she seeks vengeance on the killer of her rock star boyfriend, voiced by singer-songwriter Yungblud. Producer Zach Dawes (credits include Lana Del Rey, Sharon Van Etten, Arctic Monkeys) will oversee the music created forthis “Rocky Horror x The Warriors” toned musical.

LOST YOU ON THE DANCE FLOOR is a murder mystery set against the rise and fall of the 1970s Disco era. Acclaimed journalist and author Matt Diehl pens the story of a woman who discovers that her biological father was actually a legendary music impresario who vanished under a cloud of suspicion. Diehl’s work has been seen in every publication from Rolling Stone and Billboard to the New York Times. His book Notorious C.O.P.is being developed into a TV show, and will be produced by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson.

BALLAD OF AN OUTLAW is a part journalism/part fiction podcast about the life of John Hinckley Jr. and the people whose lives collide with his. The anthology series is created by playwright/journalist Jonathan Ezra and writer/composer Robbie Roth, directed by Ezra, and featuring original songs by Roth. 

The entire slate will be co-produced by Glickmania Media and iHeartRadio and will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network. Executive producers for UNSUNG are Benjamin Salka, Lee Overtree, and Jonathan Glickman; for DIANE’S INFERNO are Glickman and Molly Mankiewicz; for LOST YOU ON THE DANCE FLOOR are Glickman and Matt Diehl; and for BALLAD OF AN OUTLAW are Glickman, Jonathan Ezra, Robbie Roth and Helena Budnik. Matthew Frederick and Alex Williams will executive produce the full slate of shows for iHeartRadio. CAA brokered the deal on behalf of Glickmania.

About Glickmania Media Group

Glickmania is a new vision independent film and television production company, founded in February 2020 by veteran entertainment executive Jonathan Glickman. Glickmania is the natural evolution of Glickman’s continued focus on developing IP in partnership with the industry’s foremost creative talent and most interesting emerging storytellers. Glickman’s deeply rooted foundation and respect for Hollywood innovation and tradition has inspired his determination to explore the creation of properties across all content platforms, including film, television, podcasting and music outlets. Glickmania’s first productions include RESPECT, the upcoming Aretha Franklin biopic starring Jennifer Hudson, THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2 to be released October 9, 2021, WEDNESDAY, a new coming-of-age Netflix comedy series directed by Tim Burton and based on Wednesday Addams, and the film SCANDALOUS!, based on the clandestine affair between Kim Novak and Sammy Davis, Jr, starring Jeremy Pope (Hollywood), to be directed by Janet Mock (Pose).

One-Hour Special Event Will Feature Discussions with Cardi B, Gwen Stefani and Kelsea Ballerini on iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook pages on March 8 at 8 p.m. ET

The Biggest Names in Music and Podcasting Will Come Together with the SeeHer Movement to Celebrate Gender Equality Through Music Takeovers and Exclusive Music Spotlights As Well As A Weeklong Countdown to International Women’s Day Featuring Today’s Top Artists, Influencers and Thought Leaders

NEW YORK – March 1, 2021 – In celebration of International Women's Day on March 8, iHeartMedia, the number one audio company in America, and SeeHer, the largest global movement to eliminate gender bias in marketing, advertising, media and entertainment, announced today the launch of “iHeartRadio Presents SeeHer Hear Her: Celebrating Women in Music,” a celebration placing gender equality center stage. The first-ever special event will highlight three successful and influential artists in music with interviews from Cardi B, Gwen Stefani and Kelsea Ballerini during a live one-hour special that will stream on iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook pages on March 8 at 8 p.m. ET (available on demand through March 14).

The “iHeartRadio Presents SeeHer Hear Her: Celebrating Women in Music” streamed event will dive into the lives of these three leading female artists – from their girlhood dreams and the mentors who inspired them, to achieving those goals and becoming leaders and role models for future generations. The special will share how these artists are using their music platform and social media presence to activate and encourage other women and will explore how although their experiences come from their lives in the music industry, the challenges they face are universal. “iHeartRadio Presents SeeHer Hear Her: Celebrating Women in Music” will also feature footage and interviews with other top women artists.

To kick off the celebration, beginning March 1, iHeartMedia will launch an eight-day countdown to International Women’s Day across 600 iHeartMedia broadcast stations in every format, on social media platforms and on iHeartRadio’s biggest podcasts.

The weeklong countdown will culminate March 8 when women will take over the mic on popular iHeartMedia radio shows and podcasts to have conversations about equality, inclusion, inspiration and what everyone can do to help get more women heard. That evening, from 5 - 6 p.m. local time, iHeartMedia broadcast radio stations will also devote the hour to playing the biggest hits and new music from today’s female artists and offer special playlists on the iHeartRadio App.

“iHeartMedia is excited to partner with SeeHer and their SeeHer Hear Her initiative to inspire us all with the stories of amazing women breaking new ground in Hip Hop, Pop and Country music,” said Gayle Troberman, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for iHeartMedia. “This International Women’s Day it’s important that we are all reminded of what equality can sound like, as we come together to celebrate, inspire and support one another.”

Listeners can join in on the conversation online by using #iHeartWomensDay and #SeeHer throughout the day and during the one-hour special on March 8. For more information on “iHeartRadio Presents SeeHer Hear Her: Celebrating Women in Music,” visit iheartradio.com/womensday.

“We launched #SeeHer Hear Her as part of the SeeHer movement in 2019 to eliminate gender bias in the music industry and increase the percent of women in front of and behind the mic,” added Nadine Karp McHugh, President, SeeHer. “We are making progress, but there is a long way to go. We are delighted to bring this important initiative to scale with iHeart surrounding International Women’s Day. Together we See Her.”

Proud partners of this year's “iHeartRadio Presents SeeHer Hear Her: Celebrating Women in Music” include Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company and Batiste™ Dry Shampoo, with more to be announced.

About SeeHer

Despite strides made in recent years to accurately portray women and girls in media, unconscious bias persists throughout advertising and entertainment. The average age, race, body type, and other aspects of women depicted in media today still represents only a small fraction of the female population. Led by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), SeeHer is a collective of marketers, media organizations and industry influencers committed to creating advertising and supporting content that portrays women and girls as they really are. It launched in June 2016 in partnership with The Female Quotient (The FQ) in Washington DC at the United State of Women. To help marketers benchmark success, the group developed Gender Equality Measure® (GEM®), the first research methodology that quantifies gender bias in ads and programming. GEM® shows that content portraying females accurately dramatically increases both purchase intent and brand reputation. In 2017 GEM® won the prestigious ESOMAR Research Effectiveness Award. The methodology quickly became the industry standard, which led to a global rollout in 2018. In 2019, the movement expanded into new verticals: sports (SeeHer In Sports) and music (SeeHer Hear Her). Visit SeeHer.com and follow @SeeHerOfficial on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

The Week Will Feature A Series Of Interviews With Thought Leaders And Trusted Community Voices To Help Educate Consumers About COVID-19 Vaccines; All Advertising On BIN During “It’s Up To You” Vaccine Education Week Will Be Donated By The Founding Partner Brands To Support The Ad Council and COVID Collaborative Campaign

iHeartMedia Will Also Launch A Series Of More Than 20 English And Spanish Audio PSAs Across Its 860 Broadcast Radio Stations Nationwide To Support The “It’s Up To You” Campaign To Reach As Many Consumers As Possible, Especially Those Hit Hardest By The Pandemic

NEW YORK, N.Y. – February 25, 2021 – BIN: Black Information Network, the first and only 24/7 national and local all news audio service dedicated to providing an objective, accurate and trusted source of continual news coverage with a Black voice and perspective, announced today that it has joined with the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative to help kick off their “It’s Up To You” COVID-19 vaccine education initiative.

Despite the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color there are extremely high rates of vaccine hesitancy among these communities, rooted in a deep history of health inequities, mistrust and skepticism. To reach its audiences with messages that will resonate, BIN has adapted the Ad Council’s “It’s Up To You” COVID-19 vaccine education campaign and created a week-long schedule of programming designed to reaffirm the legitimacy of having questions about the vaccines, while at the same time answering questions and addressing concerns their audiences may have.

“Based on research, the Black community is the least likely group to be receptive to taking a COVID-19 vaccine,” said Tony Coles, President of BIN: Black Information Network. “Our goal is to present the most accurate news and information to help curb the future impact of COVID-19 on the communities we serve, by both answering questions around vaccination and providing resources for the public to get informed.”

BIN was founded on an innovative business model: instead of being supported by traditional advertising, BIN is enabled by a group of well-known brands as Founding Partners who provide long-term support to allow BIN to focus solely on its mission of building an important platform for Black journalism and trusted news. As a result of this innovative and unique advertising model, BIN has been able to bring together some of its Founding Partners including Bank Of America, CVS Health, Lowe’s, McDonald’s USA, Sony, 23andMe and Verizon, to contribute a week of advertising on BIN, using the platform to spark meaningful conversation fueled by trusted news and information. Collectively these leading consumer brands will donate over 1,300 hours of continuous media to spark a deeper conversation around the COVID-19 vaccine and address specific concerns within the Black community.

"Combining the collective power of BIN and the Ad Council will be one of the most effective partnerships to get the right information about the COVID-19 vaccine to the Black community," said Diego Scotti, CMO, Verizon. "With Verizon being a partner of both organizations, it is a proud moment to see the impact that can be made when the industry takes action together."

“As a Founding Partner of the Black Information Network and a member of the Ad Council Coalition, we recognize the opportunity to help address critical communication efforts around the importance of this vaccine,” said Meredith Verdone, Chief Marketing Officer of Bank of America. “This initiative will accelerate the impact of the Ad Council’s campaign within communities that continue to be disproportionally impacted by the coronavirus.”

“CVS’ partnership with BIN allows us to have an ongoing channel to reach Black consumers every day with important and timely COVID-19 and vaccine information,” said Norm de Greve, Chief Marketing Officer of CVS. “We were thrilled to see so many of the BIN partner brands band together with the network and the Ad Council to donate their airtime to help ensure these critical messages get heard in the local communities where they are most needed.”

“We are proud to partner with our franchisees to turn over our advertising time to BIN and the Ad Council to educate the community about COVID-19 vaccinations,” said Morgan Flatley, Chief Marketing Officer, McDonald’s USA. “At McDonald’s, being a good neighbor is one of our core values, and we hope by using our resources as a BIN founding partner, we can help bring the Black community one step closer to overcoming this pandemic.”

“As a brand grounded in science and research, we are proud to support the Black Information Network and The Ad Council’s campaign to deliver trusted, balanced information around the data behind the COVID-19 vaccine,” said Tracy Keim, Vice President, Consumer Marketing and Brand, 23andMe. “Knowledge is power, and the campaign message “It’s Up To You” highlights the importance of being armed with the critical information necessary to make an informed health decision today and in the future.”

Beginning today through next week, BIN’s “It’s Up To You” Vaccine Education Week will feature hundreds of custom audio PSAs that bring to life the moments that we have all been missing and encourage listeners to get the facts so that they can make an informed decision about the COVID-19 vaccines; local news updates that provide specific details around local vaccination requirements and availability; interviews with medical experts around the safety and science behind the vaccines; hourly news coverage providing the most up-to-date information around the vaccine rollout; and a Sunday morning public affairs show dedicated to an open discussion about the vaccines and mistrust within the Black community.

Additionally, iHeartMedia today released a series of over 20 English and Spanish custom audio spots across its more than 860 broadcast radio stations nationwide as an extension of the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative “It’s Up To You” campaign that will be made available for other audio companies to use across their platforms. Through the power of audio, the all-new PSAs vividly bring to life the everyday moments we hope to get back to and encourage the public to get the facts to make an informed decision about the COVID-19 vaccines. From family gatherings to church worship, dinner with friends, baseball games and celebrations, the PSAs remind listeners of their own personal stakes in the fight against COVID-19 and the importance of making an informed decision about getting vaccinated.

The spots will run across all iHeartMedia radio stations beginning today and drive listeners to GetVaccineAnswers.org (DeTiDepende.org in Spanish), a website developed by the Ad Council in partnership with COVID Collaborative, which provides the latest information about COVID-19 vaccines, with the ultimate goal of helping the public feel confident and prepared to get vaccinated once they are able to.

“The work that BIN is doing is critical to ensuring millions of people are getting the information they need to make informed decisions about the COVID-19 vaccines – especially those hit hardest by the pandemic where we are seeing the highest rates of hesitancy,” said Lisa Sherman, President and CEO of the Ad Council. “We are honored to partner with iHeartMedia, BIN and their incredible collaborators on this crucial week of action that will help educate audiences, inspire confidence in the vaccines and turn the tide of the pandemic.”

About The Ad Council

The Ad Council has a long history of creating life-saving public service communications in times of national crisis, starting in the organization's earliest days during World War II to September 11th and natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy. Its deep relationships with media outlets, the creative community, issue experts and government leaders make the organization uniquely poised to quickly distribute life-saving information to millions of Americans.

The Ad Council is where creativity and causes converge. The non-profit organization brings together the most creative minds in advertising, media, technology and marketing to address many of the nation's most important causes. The Ad Council has created many of the most iconic campaigns in advertising history. Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk. Smokey Bear. Love Has No Labels.

The Ad Council's innovative social good campaigns raise awareness, inspire action and save lives. To learn more, visit AdCouncil.org, follow the Ad Council's communities on Facebook and Twitter, and view the creative on YouTube.

iHeartMedia’s partnership with the leading UK podcasting company will include eleven new podcast docuseries over the next three years, focused on stranger-than-fiction true stories

NEW YORK – February 24, 2021 – iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, today announced a new partnership with Novel, one of the UK’s leading independent podcast companies, to co-produce a series of narrative, in-depth investigative podcasts. Together, iHeartMedia and Novel will launch eleven new, original podcast series over the next three years, starting with “The Assault on America” and “Deliver Us From Ervil.”           

The expansive new slate features a collection of ambitious audio docuseries aimed at giving listeners access to worlds they never knew existed. From the real-life superheroes appearing at Black Lives Matter protests to a violent fundamentalist Mormon cult installed near the US-Mexican border, these new iHeartRadio Original Podcasts feature in-depth, narrative investigations of unexplored subcultures and stranger-than-fiction true stories.

"We're thrilled to be entering into such an exciting partnership with iHeartMedia,” said Sean Glynn, CEO of Novel. “Pairing Novel's best-in-class storytelling credentials with iHeartMedia's excellent editorial judgment and global distribution is an incredibly compelling combination.”

“This new partnership will allow us to produce deeply researched, narratively rich investigative series at scale that grip listeners right off the bat,” added Max O’Brien, Head of Content at Novel. “We couldn't be more proud to be the first UK-based podcast company to sign a slate deal with iHeartMedia."

In addition to announcing the deal, the companies also shared details on the first two podcast series set to debut as part of the partnership. 

“The Assault on America” tells the inside story of the insurrection at the Capitol like you’ve never heard before. Working with open-source investigative journalists Bellingcat, Novel painstakingly collected thousands of hours of smartphone footage, including 1,200 videos that directly incriminate protestors. Scouring the darkest corners of right-wing websites like 8chan, Parler and Gab, this series uncovers chilling, never-before-heard footage and comments posted by mob members. Much of this exclusive material has since been deleted from the web, but has been preserved by Bellingcat. Now, we’ll hear the events of January 6th brought to life in 360-degree detail.

“Deliver Us From Ervil” is an investigative true-crime series in which a groundbreaking team of journalists enters a lawless town on the border of Mexico run by a secretive religious sect living in exile and outside the jurisdiction of the U.S. government since 1924. The journalists will speak to the inhabitants of this strange town and uncover the secrets behind the surreal desert fortress with a murderous past that continues to haunt all who enter.     

“We’re eager to collaborate with the brilliant minds at Novel to bring listeners an incredible new lineup of history, true-crime and documentary podcasts,” said Conal Byrne, President of the iHeartPodcast Network. “Novel has a penchant for producing award-winning docuseries, and we couldn’t be more excited to join forces and bring their storytelling talent and expertise to the iHeartPodcast Network.”

The new slate of co-produced podcasts will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network, which is home to more than 750 original podcasts with over 253 million downloads and streams each month.

About Novel

Novel is one of the UK’s leading independent podcasting companies. The team is made up of 13 members of full-time in-house staff and two board members, one of whom is the former CEO of VICE UK. Recent highlights include: The Bellingcat Podcast (Audio Production Award Gold winner, two-time ARIA winner, British Podcast Award winner, PSA Political Podcast Of The Year — Financial Times: “Extraordinary in detail, tenacity and execution;” Esquire: “Clear-eyed original reporting … dramatic”); Kim Noble’s Futile Attempts (At Surviving Tomorrow) (The Observer: “Wilder and more interesting than almost everything else out there;” The Sunday Times: “Brutal and deeply compelling;” Financial Times: “Unlike anything else you’ve heard;” The Guardian: “Darkly comic and beautiful”); The Political Butterfly Effect (Sunday Times: “Neatly, briskly, sharply produced;” New Statesman: “Fun, forensic hypothesizing ;” Politico “Essential listening”) and Remembering Christopher Hitchens. Visit we-are-novel.com for more company information.

With Performances from Roddy Ricch, 21 Savage, Jhené Aiko and Kirk Franklin Airing Nationwide On February 20 on iHeartMedia Hip-Hop, Gospel and R&B Broadcast Stations; iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook Pages; the iHeartRadio App; And Venues on Oculus Quest

Black History Month Celebration Will Also Feature Audio Tributes to Black Trailblazers from Today’s Biggest Artists and Listeners Across More Than 660 iHeartMedia Broadcast Stations

WHAT: iHeartMedia, the number one audio company in the United States, announced today that Donnell Rawlings will host the first-ever “iHeartRadio’s Living Black!” special event and nationwide on-air celebration featuring remote performances from Roddy Ricch, 21 Savage, Jhené Aiko and Kirk Franklin from local Black-owned business locations nationwide, plus special guests Andra Day, Killer Mike, Mary J. Blige, Tamika Mallory and more. “iHeartRadio’s Living Black!” will spotlight the power of Black culture yesterday, today and tomorrow throughout Black History Month in February and the special will air on Saturday, February 20 at 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT on iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook pages; iHeartMedia Hip-Hop, Gospel and R&B stations; and the iHeartRadio app. In addition, the month-long “iHeartRadio’s Living Black!” celebration will highlight hundreds of Black artists, influencers and thought leaders through audio vignettes and tributes on more than 660 iHeartMedia broadcast radio stations in every format.

WHO: Hosted by comedian and actor Donnell Rawlings, “iHeartRadio’s Living Black!” will feature previously announced performances from Roddy Ricch, 21 Savage, Jhené Aiko, Kirk Franklin as well as appearances from special guests including singer-songwriter and actress Andra Day; wellness leader and veteran Hip-Hop media personality Devi Brown; rapper, songwriter and activist Killer Mike; singer-songwriter, actress and philanthropist Mary J Blige; Black Effect Podcast Network’s Karlous Miller, Matt Barnes (NBA Champion) and Tamika Mallory (activist); as well as iHeartRadio on-air personalities including The Breakfast Club’s DJ Envy, Angela Yee and Charlamagne Tha God, as well as Big Boy, Angie Martinez, DJ Clue, DJ Drama, Diamond Kuts, DJ Hed, Mr. Rogers and more.

WHEN: Saturday, February 20 at 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT

WHERE: The special event will stream on iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook pages and broadcast across iHeartMedia Hip-Hop, Gospel and R&B stations; and the iHeartRadio app. The event will also be available via Venues on Oculus Quest to watch the show in VR.

MORE: Produced by Emmy and Grammy award-winning producer Rikki Hughes of Magic Lemonade, “iHeartRadio Living Black!” special event on February 20 will pay homage to the culture that sets the trends, creates the moments and moves the world. The show will weave once-in-a-lifetime performances into a powerful audio and visual celebration of the Black experience featuring artists, actors, creators and Black leaders who have shaped culture.

In addition to the first-ever special event, “iHeartRadio’s Living Black!” will feature conversations that educate, inspire and celebrate the Black experience through a mix of custom tributes from artists and listeners across the nation. Throughout February, today’s biggest artists from Country, Pop, Rock and more will honor the impact and influence that Black people and Black culture has had on their lives and community; iHeartMedia national and on-air personalities including The Breakfast Club – Charlamagne Tha God, Angela Yee and DJ Envy and Big Boy will honor trailblazers, modern history makers and future change-makers of Black culture; and hundreds of iHeartMedia stations and shows will invite listeners to call in, post and share their experiences and inspirations each week.

Proud partners of this year's “iHeartRadio’s Living Black!” include Facebook Groups, Rémy Martin and Walmart, with more to be announced.

New podcast hosted by actress-writer-producer-activist Erika Alexander and filmmaker Whitney Dow probes into the burning topic of the day: reparations for Black Americans

NEW YORK – February 18, 2021 – Color Farm Media, the diversified media company behind last year’s critically acclaimed documentary film, John Lewis: Good Trouble, has partnered with Charlamagne Tha God’s and iHeartMedia’s The Black Effect Podcast Network to release a ground-breaking, narrative podcast, “Reparations: The Big Payback.” The podcast will debut today with new episodes airing every Thursday. Listeners can hear the first episode now on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard.

“Reparations: The Big Payback” is co-hosted by actress, writer, producer, activist and Color Farm co-founder Erika Alexander and filmmaker Whitney Dow. Erika, a Black woman, and Whitney, a white man, bring dual perspectives and a shared creative control to their partnership. The pair use their unique storytelling skills and experiences to explore the argument for and against the controversial topic of reparations for Black Americans. The podcast also investigates the underlying racist architecture of modern businesses, laws, policies and institutions that have their roots in slavery. Guests on the podcast will include Rev. William Barber, Tom Steyer, Robin Rue Simmons, Gwen Carr, Saru Jayaraman and more.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Charlamagne Tha God and iHeartMedia to launch this important podcast at a critical juncture in the history of America,” said Alexander. “We sit on the precipice of an opportunity to heal America’s divide through leaning in to a greater understanding of the restorative powers of reparations.”

“I believe the need for true racial reconciliation is one the most pressing issues confronting our country today, and that an honest conversation about reparations is a critical component in beginning to heal the wounds of slavery,” said Dow. “I am excited to be part of that conversation and grateful to The Black Effect Podcast Network for giving Erika and me the opportunity to bring that conversation to the world.”

"Erika Alexander is brilliant. Anytime I can assist her in bringing any one of her visions to life it's a no brainer for me,” said Charlamagne Tha God. “There are so many conversations revolving around reparations and the case for Black Americans to have reparations, and hopefully this project adds to those conversations and makes people realize why reparations isn't just a request, but a necessary step for this country to take in order for it to atone for the sin of slavery and finally get to a real place of healing.”

Listen to “Reparations: The Big Payback” on iHeartRadio and follow the podcast to be alerted when new episodes are available.

About Color Farm Media

Self-described as the “Motown of film, television and podcasts,” Color Farm Media was launched in 2017 by actress-writer-producer-activist Erika Alexander (Living Single, Get Out, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, Run The World) and media/tech entrepreneur and activist Ben Arnon. Color Farm focuses on unique IP. They develop and produce premium-quality scripted and non-scripted content across all platforms. Color Farm’s mission is to bring greater equity and inclusion to media and to empower and elevate underrepresented, overlooked and undervalued voices.

About The Black Effect Podcast Network

The Black Effect Podcast Network is a transformative network founded by renowned cultural architect, executive producer, bestselling author, and media mogul Charlamagne Tha God. In a historic joint venture with the world’s number one commercial podcast publisher, iHeartMedia, Charlamagne and iHeartMedia created the groundbreaking first-ever Black Effect Podcast Network, celebrating the most important Black culture-shapers on the planet—in education, politics, entertainment, sports and pop culture. The Black Effect Podcast Network gives rise to emerging and established content creators and storytellers whose perspective and creative vision have been marginalized and overlooked while serving an audience that has been underserved. The Black Effect Podcast Network helps its partners define their place in culture through influence, ideas, and experiences that engage, inspire, inform and empower.

The sportscasters and longtime friends partner with the iHeartPodcast Network to share candid conversations about life, friendship, sports and everything in between

NEW YORK -- February 17, 2021 -- iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally, announced today the launch of “Calm Down with Erin and Charissa,” a talk show style podcast hosted by sportscasters and longtime friends Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson. The show will join the expansive array of titles beginning today. Listeners can hear the first episode now on iHeartRadio.

On the podcast, Andrews and Thompson will discuss their lives, careers and thoughts on pretty much everything—and everyone—else. Driven by real, unfiltered conversations between the two girlfriends, “Calm Down with Erin and Charissa” pulls back the curtain on the lives of two successful women at the top of their field. On the first episode of “Calm Down,” Erin and Charissa will share why they finally decided to start their own podcast and welcome their first guest, Kevin Hart, to the podcast to discuss the pros and cons of sleeping in the nude, the ever-changing tides of life, how to keep a marriage exciting as well as the joys and challenges of parenting. Future episodes will cover topics including mask etiquette, getting older, what it's like to run a small business, how to manage skin breakouts, relationship advice and much more.

“I couldn’t be more excited to finally share this project with listeners,” said Andrews. “Most people know Charissa and I as sports analysts and broadcasters but this podcast really shows a different side of us. These are our real conversations about what we find to be most interesting and important today.”

“Erin and I have so many interests outside of sports, and—prior to this podcast—we hadn’t really had the opportunity to explore those topics in our professional lives,” said Thompson. “This podcast is an opportunity for us to dive into allof our interests in a genuinely candid and fun way.”

“We’re beyond thrilled to be working with Erin and Charissa on this show,” said Conal Byrne, President of the iHeartPodcast Network. “They have this wonderfully sincere and hilarious rapport. This podcast is very much a conversation between two best friends and we’re looking forward to introducing it into the iHeartPodcast Network.”

“Calm Down with Erin and Charissa” will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network, which is home to more than 750 original podcasts with over 253 million downloads each month. Listeners can hear “Calm Down with Erin and Charissa” on iHeartRadio.com, through the iHeartRadio app, and on all the major podcast platforms. Fans can also follow the show on Instagram @calmdownpodcast.

About Erin Andrews

Erin Andrews is a sports broadcaster as part FOX Sports’ A Team. She can be seen weekly on “FOX NFL Sunday,”doing sideline coverage and features, a show that records a staggering 56.4 million unique viewers, as well as reporting for “NFL Thursday Night Football.” Andrews’ recently added “creator” to her long list of titles with the launch of her new women’s NFL apparel line, WEAR by Erin Andrews. The fashionable, comfortable and subtle line, designed for women to wear anywhere and everywhere, has quickly garnered notable attention- becoming one of the top NFL women’s only brand since it launched in October 2019. Due to overwhelming demand, WEAR expanded to the NBA and select NCAA schools in 2020. In addition to being a trailblazer in the sports world, Andrews also made a name for herself in entertainment as she co-hosted ABC’s long-running reality series, “Dancing with the Stars,” alongside Tom Bergeron for 11 seasons. Having a unique perspective on the competition, Erin was also a contestant in 2010, where she was paired with Maksim Chmerkovkiy and earned third place. Recent notable appearances include her coverage of Super Bowl LIV, Super Bowl LI, Super Bowl XLVIII, the 2019 NFC Championship Game, the 2015 & 2014 World Series, the 2015 & 2014 MLB All Star Games and hosting FOX’s “Prime Time College Football Pregame Show.” Prior to her move to FOX, Andrews spent eight years at ESPN where she hosted the first hour of ESPN’s “College GameDay” on ESPNU and was a features reporter for the full three-hour program, congruently serving as a sideline reporter for NCAA football and basketball games. Erin began her career with Fox Sports-Florida South as a freelance reporter and Tampa Bay Lightning reporter for the Sunshine Network. She joined ESPN in May 2004 as a reporter for the network’s National Hockey League coverage and quickly became a fan favorite, transitioning into college football and basketball.

About Charissa Thompson

Charissa Thompson is the host of FOX NFL KICKOFF, the Sunday morning NFL pregame show leading into FOX NFL SUNDAY. After graduating from the University of California-Santa Barbara, Thompson began her career as an assistant in the FOX Sports human resources department in 2006. After discovering an interest in TV production and moving into a production assistant role with FOX Sports in Denver, Thompson was given her first on-air opportunity as a fill-in host for the channel’s Saturday evening Colorado Rockies all-access show.

Thompson moved on from FOX Sports in 2010 and pulled double duty as a host for both Versus and Yahoo Sports. She anchored Versus’ NHL studio coverage and recorded web videos for the highly trafficked Yahoo platform, leading the site’s presence at high-profile events, including the 2010 Winter Olympics, FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl XLV and the BCS National Championship. Success in both arenas led to her joining ESPN in August 2011, where she was named one of the hosts for the network’s newly conceived afternoon show, “Numbers Never Lie.” In July 2012, she transitioned to the popular “SportsNation,” enjoying a successful run that lasted until she left the network to return to Los Angeles for the launch of FS1 in May 2013. She has been one of the faces of FSI since the network’s launch.

Acquisition establishes iHeartMedia as the only company to provide a complete set of Advertising Technologies and Measurement solutions for all forms of Audio Media

Acquisition Further Expands iHeartMedia’s Industry Leading Data and Measurement Capabilities, Programmatic Platform, Self Service Platform for Small Businesses and Podcast Capabilities

NEW YORK – February 17, 2021 – iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT), the No. 1 audio company in America and the No. 1 podcast publisher globally, today announced it has entered into an agreement with The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) to acquire Triton Digital®, the global technology and services leader to the digital audio and podcast industry, for $230 million, subject to certain adjustments.* With this acquisition, iHeartMedia will now be able to provide audio content to producers and advertisers with an industry-leading full ad service package for streaming and podcasting no matter their size, reach or distribution method.

The addition of Triton Digital’s vast array of infrastructure and measurement solutions will complement iHeartMedia’s current advertising technology services, data platforms and programmatic platforms while providing additional solutions for those in the digital radio industry, allowing iHeartMedia to be the first and only company in the audio market to provide four distribution methods for audio, including on-demand, broadcast and digital streaming radio and podcasting, and to service all audio assets programmatically.

The acquisition of Triton Digital is the latest of iHeartMedia’s investments in the audio technology space, and further enhances its position as the leader in audio. Most recently, in October 2020, iHeartMedia acquired Voxnest, the leading marketplace for podcasts and provider of podcast analytics, enterprise publishing tools, programmatic integration and targeted ad serving. Over the past two and a half years, the company has also acquired Jelli Inc, the pioneering technology that offers marketers a digital-compatible buying platform for broadcast radio that includes programmatic buying, data targeting and creative optimization; Radiojar, the centralized, cloud-based audio playout platform, through iHeartMedia, Inc.’s subsidiary RCS; and Unified, the leading social advertising data intelligence platform and solutions provider.

“Adding Triton Digital and its industry leading services to the iHeartMedia audio ecosystem establishes iHeartMedia as the only company with a total audio advertising technology and data solution,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia, Inc. “iHeart, with our strong leadership position in podcasting, digital radio and broadcast, already provides cutting edge audio management, programmatic and data solutions for the broadcast radio, digital audio and podcasting industries, and this acquisition further strengthens our position as the No. 1 audio company in America and provides unique -- and critical -- solutions for the industry and for advertisers.”

Operating in more than 50 countries, Triton Digital is a global Advertising Technology SaaS platform for audio streaming, podcasting and metrics that enables publishers to monetize their audiences by providing a highly respected digital audio measurement and advanced audio-focused infrastructure to maximize the yield of audio inventory. The company’s two lines of business focus on advertising infrastructure and measurement, including a content delivery system that distributes digital audio streams and podcasts to listeners while dynamically inserting ads and measurement business that tracks audience and creates ratings reports.

In addition to measuring audiences for customers, Triton Digital operates the world’s first programmatic marketplace for digital audio programmatic ad-buying and Yield-Op, a world-class Supply Side Platform (SSP) that specializes in Audio and enables programmatic audio advertising.

“We are thrilled to join the iHeartMedia family,” said Neal Schore, CEO of Triton Digital. “We remain deeply committed to providing the world’s broadcasters, podcasters, and online audio publishers with continuously innovated, best-in-class solutions and services for online audio management, advertising, and consumption data, and are well positioned to enhance iHeartMedia’s value proposition to audiences and advertisers.”

*The consummation of the proposed acquisition is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval.

About Triton Digital

Triton Digital® is the global technology and services leader to the digital audio and podcast industry. Operating in more than 50 countries, Triton provides innovative technology that enables broadcasters, podcasters, and online music services to build their audience, maximize their revenue, and streamline their day-to-day operations. In addition, Triton powers the global online audio industry with Webcast Metrics®, the leading online audio measurement service and Podcast Metrics, one of the first IAB certified podcast measurement services in the industry. With unparalleled integrity, excellence, teamwork, and accountability, Triton remains committed to connecting audio, audience, and advertisers to continuously fuel the growth of the global online industry. Triton Digital is a wholly owned subsidiary of The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP). For more information, visit www.TritonDigital.com.