Report: iHM Ad Revenue Share Tops All Radio In U-S

iHeartMedia has secured a 40% share of U.S. advertising revenue and markets, according to Miller Kaplan, as announced during its Q1 2025 earnings call Monday. This milestone highlights the company’s dominance, driven by its extensive audience reach, advanced ad technology, and the largest audio sales force, enabling it to capture a growing portion of ad spend.

For Q1 2025, iHeartMedia reported consolidated revenue of $807 million, up 1% year-over-year, with non-political revenue growth at 1.8%. Adjusted EBITDA held steady at $105 million, and the GAAP operating loss improved to $25 million from $35 million in Q1 2024. However, the company faced challenges with a negative free cash flow of $81 million and significant debt.

Digital revenue soared 16% to $277 million, led by a 28% increase in podcast revenue and 9% growth in non-podcast digital. The digital segment’s adjusted EBITDA rose 28%, achieving a 31.4% margin. CEO Bob Pittman emphasized the company’s podcasting edge, stating, “Podcasting complements radio, giving us a natural advantage in content creation and promotion through our broadcast platform.” CFO Rich Bressler noted that major advertisers are increasingly embracing podcasting.

The multi-platform group, encompassing traditional radio, networks, and events, saw revenue fall 4.2% to $473 million due to a softening broadcast ad market. However, Premiere Broadcast Networks grew 2.1% year-over-year, reflecting strength in national advertising.

The Audio & Media Services segment, including Katz Television, saw revenue decline 14.2% to $59 million, largely due to reduced political ad spend and challenges at Katz, which represents over 400 local TV stations as a liaison to national advertisers.

iHeartMedia’s strong digital growth and market leadership position it well, despite headwinds in traditional radio and ongoing debt management.