podcasts slate

The agreement includes eight new co-produced Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated Studios and iHeartRadio original podcasts as well as the distribution of Sports Illustrated’s existing podcasts through the iHeartPodcast Network

NEW YORK, July 26, 2021 – iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to podtrac, today announced a multi-year exclusive agreement to co-produce eight original podcasts with award-winning sports media brand Sports Illustrated and newly formed joint venture Sports Illustrated Studios. The iHeartPodcast Network will distribute all eight original titles as well as distribute Sports Illustrated’s existing podcasts across iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard. Additionally, mutual marketing and promotion commitments will apply to all joint projects. Two of the eight original podcasts are scheduled to launch by Q1 2022.

“We are thrilled to partner with Sports Illustrated to introduce a brand-new slate of sports podcasts - limited series and ongoing shows alike, distributed to listeners everywhere,” said Conal Byrne, CEO of iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group. “It’s an iconic brand that sports fans instantly trust, knowing that they will get the most credible and in-depth industry coverage, and we look forward to expanding that footprint into the audio space through the iHeartPodcast Network, where we uniquely have the reach and scale to bring Sports Illustrated the audience and monetization they deserve.”

The audio partnership will build upon Sports Illustrated’s deep bench of world-renowned journalists and continue its legacy of unique storytelling that unites athletes, teams and fans worldwide. The Sports Illustrated label will include editorial-focused content and analysis from the storied media franchise while the Sports Illustrated Studios label will provide scripted and limited series content.

Set to debut later this year, “Sports Illustrated Weekly” is a weekly podcast that will feature the best of Sports Illustrated’s unrivaled journalism in a premium audio magazine. Each 45-minute episode will feature deep-dive segments on the biggest news of the week and the most compelling personalities, trends and themes in sports, on and off the field. More details including its host will be announced at a later date.

“Storytelling is at the core of what SI stands for, and the opportunity to partner with iHeartMedia to create and distribute dynamic stories and shows featuring our incredible voices further expands our footprint,” said Ross Levinsohn, CEO of Sports Illustrated & Maven. Today, Sports Illustrated reaches more than 50M monthly visitors across all integrated site channels.

Developed by SI Studios, “Lateral Damage” will offer an innovative take on the true-crime genre. Publishing early next year, the podcast tells the story of University of California, Berkeley college football player Mariet Ford, who was an instrumental part of “The Play,” one of the most electrifying plays in sports history. He was later convicted of viciously murdering his young son and pregnant wife. Maintaining his innocence for almost 25 years, the podcast will explore the indelible effect the murder has had on the core group of people in Ford’s sphere.

“While traditionally sports are very visually focused, this venture allows us to introduce audiences to the most memorable events in sports history in unexpected ways, which is precisely the foundation of SI Studios. With this new partnership, Sports Illustrated, the most trusted brand in sports, and iHeartMedia, the industry’s leading podcast publisher and distributor, we have the unique opportunity to tell these historic, remarkable stories to audiences globally,” said David Hutkin, COO of 101 Studios, who in partnership with Authentic Brands Group (ABG), owner of the Sports Illustrated brand, formed Sports Illustrated Studios in 2020.

The Sports Illustrated podcast slate will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network which is home to more than 750 original podcasts with over 250 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. These shows are distributed on all major podcast platforms including the iHeartRadio app, which additionally distributes hundreds of thousands third-party shows.

About Sports Illustrated

Sports Illustrated (SI) is an unparalleled and influential leader recognized for shaping modern culture and uniting athletes, teams and fans worldwide. SI’s award-winning media enterprise brings powerful storytelling to life across platforms ranging from Emmy-winning video to the monthly print magazine with a 67-year heritage. Get in-depth features, probing profiles, and iconic and beloved photography from the best writers and photojournalists in the game at SI.com. Sports Illustrated also shares its unique and authentic perspective through marquee events, immersive brand activations, long-form television, film and audio content, as well as select lifestyle products. Sports Illustrated’s digital and print publications are operated by Maven (OTC: MVEN) under a license agreement with Authentic Brands Group (ABG).

About Sports Illustrated Studios

Established in 2020, Sports Illustrated Studios is a media production company that develops, produces, and distributes long-form film, television, and audio content based on the stories of world-class Sports Illustrated journalists from today, tomorrow, and the past 65 years of the brand’s history. Sports Illustrated Studios seeks to reimagine and recreate the most memorable moments in sports history in cutting edge and unexpected ways for audiences worldwide. Upcoming projects include Paradise Found based on the true story of high school football coach Rick Prinz; an untitled docuseries about the sexual abuse and cover-up at Ohio State University, co-produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures; the feature film Red Rose Crew based on the riveting true story of the US international women’s crew team and the docuseries Covers, a behind-the-scenes look at Sports Illustrated’s top cover stories of all time.

For more information, visit SI.com.

Follow Sports Illustrated on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

“Essential Voices with Wilmer Valderrama” and “Exactly Amara” headline the new content offerings for the new Latinx-focused podcast network

NEW YORK – July 7, 2021 – iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally, today announced four new shows launching in July from My Cultura, iHeartMedia’s new podcast network dedicated to elevating Latinx voices and creators, while also sharing the Latinx experience with millions of listeners. The network’s initial lineup will include “Essential Voices with Wilmer Valderrama,” “Exactly Amara,” “Transportista” (published in both English and Spanish) and “Life As a Gringo.” With a driven commitment to the creation of a platform that helps amplify the Latinx community, Coca-Cola, State Farm and Walgreens will be My Cultura’s inaugural sponsors, building connectivity amongst this growing audience. All of the new podcast series will be available on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard. 

This lineup officially kicks off the My Cultura podcast network which is set to release 30 total shows in its first year. My Cultura was announced last month with “In the Heights: El Sueñito,” a special limited podcast series with Lin-Manuel Miranda and hosted by Eva Longoria. Additionally, My Cultura’s future podcast series will span a variety of genres including pop culture, music, comedy, mental health, finance, news and more. 

“The wait is over. We’re thrilled to announce that these new shows are joining iHeartMedia’s My Cultura and to showcase the incredible storytelling talents and diverse perspectives of Latinx creators,” said Gisselle Bances, Lead Executive Producer for iHeartMedia’s My Cultura. “From Amara La Negra’s authentic perspective on being Afro-Latina in ‘Exactly Amara’ to investigating the world of cartels in ‘Transportista’ to amplifying the voices of the world’s essential workers in ‘Essential Voices,’ and much more, this new slate of My Cultura shows promises to entertain, educate and inspire.”

My Cultura podcasts being released this month include: 

July 8

“Exactly Amara” -- A weekly talk-show style podcast hosted by reality star, model and singer Amara La Negra alongside co-host Stevey Newnez. The pair will get personal on just about everything and will discuss dating, sex, relationships, social media, plastic surgery, body positivity and everything in between. In each episode, Amara will add her Spanglish sazón, getting raw and real with topics that hit close to home. Listen to the official trailer now here. 

July 14

“Transportista” -- This weekly limited-series podcast opens the door into a hidden world of drug trafficking and its ties to political power. Told from a North Carolina Federal Prison via a smuggled cell phone, the show explores the story of a now-incarcerated head of transportation for some of the world’s most dangerous drug lords in Latin America. Brought to life in both English and Spanish, the podcast will shine a light on the life of a man who had access to the top cartels’ women, wealth and supply chain, until it all came to a screeching halt. Buckle up, the plane is taking off and El Transportista is talking about it all. Listeners can hear the official trailer in English or Spanish.

July 20

“Life as a Gringo”-- Hosted by The Breakfast Club and Z100’s Dramos, this podcast shares the perspective and voices of American-born Latinos who live their lives existing in a gray area: those who are looked at as a gringo by their family in their native land while being constantly reminded that their house smelled different or their parents’ music was “weird” by people they grew up with in the states. This is life as heard from the voice of a “gringo”. New episodes will post every Tuesday and Thursday.

July 27

“Essential Voices with Wilmer Valderrama” - Hosted by actor, producer and activist Wilmer Valderrama(NCIS, That ‘70s Show), this weekly podcast will share intimate conversations with people on the frontlines of food service, transportation, child-care and other systems where workers’ voices are often overlooked. While COVID-19 introduced many people to the phrase “essential workers,” this group of people existed far before the pandemic and will continue to play a vital role in society long after it’s over. The show seeks to illustrate the invisible connections between all of us and point us toward strategies for meaningful change. 

In addition to the shows announced today, listeners can expect a steady stream of new podcasts launching each month this year with My Cultura, which will be distributed through the iHeartPodcast Network. 

iHeartRadio Announces New Slate of Original Podcasts Spotlighting Curious Tales, Historical Oddities, and Stranger-Than-Fiction Stories Often Left Out of History Books

Trailer for New Show “Operation Midnight Climax,” The True Story About A 1950’s CIA-run Brothel, Now Available

LISTEN TO “OPERATION MIDNIGHT CLIMAX” TRAILER HERE

NEW YORK -- March 17, 2021 --- iHeartRadio, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, today announced a slate of new iHeartRadio Original Podcasts. Launching one new show per month this year, the podcasts will shine a light on the curious tales, historical oddities and stranger-than-fiction true stories that are often left out of history books. iHeartMedia has continued to invest heavily in podcasting, from acquiring HowStuffWorks in 2018 to producing an ongoing slate more than 750 iHeartRadio Original shows like “The Ron Burgundy Podcast,” “Fake Doctors, Real Friends,” “You and Me Both with Hillary Clinton,” among others. These shows and more are distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network and are available on iHeartRadio and all major podcast platforms.

“We are excited to share our newest slate of iHeartRadio Original Podcasts focused on the curious true stories left out of history books,” said Jason English, Lead Executive Producer of iHeartRadio Original Podcasts. “This spring you can spend time with the Black cowboys who found freedom on the high plains after the Civil War; get a first-person account of the most insane government project in American history; and meet desperate World War I veterans who camped outside the White House for months during the Great Depression.

The first fascinating historical podcast in the slate, “Black Cowboys,” available now, tells the story of what freedom looked like for Black Americans after the Civil War. The podcast shares a more honest version of the settling of the Wild West and shines a light on the one-in-four cowboys who were Black. Upcoming podcasts include “OperationMidnight Climax,” which details the stranger-than-fiction events that took place at a CIA-run brothel in the 1950s; “The White House Coup,” which chronicles a club of powerful Wall Street millionaires in a plot to overthrow President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR); and other little-known odd histories of historical figures and events.

New and upcoming iHeartRadio Podcast Originals include:

• “Black Cowboys,” Available Now

Host Zaron Burnett’s father didn’t want slavery to be his son’s dominant image of Black people in American history. So every night, he filled Zaron’s dreams with these incredible stories of Black cowboys. Despite what Hollywood traditionally has shown, one in four cowboys in the American West were Black and their stories tell a bigger, braver, more honest history of America. “Black Cowboys” is written and hosted by Zaron Burnett, with special guest appearances by his father. Listen now.

• “Operation Midnight Climax,” Launching March 17

Host Noel Brown details the insane true story of a secret Cold War project as it spins out of control. George Hunter White operated a CIA brothel in the 1950s where, as part of the mission, sex workers were hired to lure patrons to a safe house to be dosed with LSD and observed from behind a two-way mirror. White’s experiments didn’t end there—enemies of the state, strangers on the street and even his own friends became unwitting targets—because the fate of the nation depended on it. “Operation Midnight Climax” is written by Jake Rossen, whose most recent book, "Action Park: The Untold Story of America’s Most Dangerous Amusement Park” is being developed for a TV series.

• “The White House Coup,” Launching this April

Ben Bowlin will host this limited series podcast centered around one of the great untold stories in American history. In 1934, a decorated Marine Corps Major General named Smedley Butler came to Congress with explosive allegations: a powerful cabal of Wall Street millionaires was plotting to overthrow FDR and wanted Butler to lead a half-a-million-strong army of veterans in the coup. After the fact, the mainstream media started calling the whole thing a hoax—but is it possible the plot got a lot closer than the public realized? “The White House Coup” is written by investigative journalist Alex French, whose work has appeared in Vanity Fair, Esquire, GQ, New York Magazine and “This American Life.”

“As the year goes on, we’ll bring you stories from Mississippi in the ‘70s, Pyongyang in the ‘90s and London at a time when the name Isaac Newton could strike fear into the hearts of even the most hardened criminals,” said English. “We’ve spent months researching, reporting and falling in love with these stories, and we can’t wait to share them with the world.”

Initial slate includes new podcasts from top political analysts John Heilemann, Jennifer Palmieri, David Plouffe and Steve Schmidt

New York - September 1, 2020 - Today, iHeartMedia, the No. 1 commercial podcast publisher globally, and The Recount, a groundbreaking new media platform at the intersection of politics and culture, announced a new partnership to co-produce a series of podcasts ahead of the historic 2020 election. The first three weekly shows — “Hell and High Water with John Heilemann,” “Just Something About Her with Jennifer Palmieri,” and “Battleground with David Plouffe and Steve Schmidt” — will debut this month, and continue into 2021, on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard.

“The 2020 election is, without question, the most important election of our lifetime, and this exciting trio of podcasts from hosts who've operated at the highest level of politics will help listeners cut through the bullshit and understand the big picture of what's happening ahead of Election Day and beyond," said John Heilemann, co-founder and Executive Editor of The Recount. “Our content is resonating on our platform and across social media and we are excited to bring it to podcasting with iHeartMedia.”

“Getting smart on politics is no longer optional,” stated EVP of Programming and Development for The Recount, Nomi Ernst Leidner. “Partnering with iHeartMedia enables us to venture into podcasts and continue producing high quality content that educates people on politics in a digestible and engaging way.”

“Hell and High Water with John Heliemann” focuses on the turmoil and upheaval roiling America in 2020. Best-selling author and TV host John Heilemann will have a series of conversations with the people shaping our culture in politics, entertainment, business, technology and beyond. Heilemann will explore how the country is grappling with this tumultuous moment and attempting to pull through and rise above it. Trailer available now, here. Episode one debuts September 8. 

“Battleground with David Plouffe and Steve Schmidt” features two of America's storied political strategists — Barack Obama's 2008 campaign manager and John McCain's 2008 chief strategist. Opponents then and co-hosts now — Plouffe and Schmidt will dissect America's most consequential political battles, from the current presidential campaign to the hurdles facing the next administration to the key issues, beyond the election, impacting voters around the country. Listeners can hear the trailer now, here. Podcast will launch September 14.

“Just Something About Her with Jennifer Palmieri” is hosted by the former communications director for the Obama White House and Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. Palmieri explores why — after decades of making steady progress — women find themselves banging up against the same glass ceilings. The show features interviews with powerful women from business, politics, the arts and journalism to learn how they found a way to break through and create their own path to success. The weekly podcast will be available beginning September 24.

“iHeartMedia is the perfect partner for The Recount. Matching our talented programming team with the largest commercial podcast publisher will deliver our high value content to the largest audience possible,” said President and COO for The Recount, Kenny Miller. “On the heels of our programming partnership with Twitter, this ambitious podcast slate is our next step in developing a unique news brand natively on industry leading audience platforms.”

“The Recount is an expert in understanding how to reach audiences on social media in today’s digital world. People are checking the news more frequently and want access to the easiest format possible,” said President of the iHeartPodcast Network, Conal Byrne. “Pairing our network with The Recount’s focus on accessible content creates a powerhouse slate of political podcasts that will help our listeners better understand politics as we approach the 2020 election.” 

The slate will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network, which is home to more than 750 original podcasts with over 225 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.

About The Recount

The Recount is a leading media platform at the intersection of politics, business and culture solving two central problems: information overload and the time famine. The Recount produces high quality content across a suite of digital, social and experiential products and currently features more than a dozen short-form programs, including The Daily Recount, Recap 2020, and Rewind. Co-founders John Heilemann and John Battelle launched the media venture in 2019. For more information, visit www.therecount.com.