iHeartMedia Inc. is in preliminary talks about a possible sale to Sirius XM Holdings Inc.
According to Bloomberg, the discussions are early-stage, with no guarantee a deal will materialize, and representatives for both companies declined to comment. The report frames the potential combination against the backdrop of ongoing struggles in the traditional radio industry.
iHeartMedia is the largest U.S. radio broadcaster by audience reach. It operates roughly 858 stations (including major brands like Z100, Kiss FM, and Power 105.1), its iHeartRadio streaming app, and a vast live-events business. It is also the No. 1 podcast publisher in the U.S. by downloads and reach (ahead of the next two largest publishers combined), according to Podtrac and Triton data.
The company emerged from a lengthy Chapter 11 restructuring in 2019 and carries significant debt.
SiriusXM is the dominant satellite-radio provider, with a large base of subscription revenue (roughly $8–9 billion annually in recent periods). It also owns the Pandora streaming service and has aggressively expanded into podcasts. The company became fully independent in September 2024 after a Liberty Media Corp. split-off and re-listing as standalone SIRI.
Subscriber growth has slowed in recent years as consumers shift to on-demand audio.
The Bloomberg sources emphasize the talks are preliminary. Initial Market Reaction to news of the talks triggered an immediate positive response. iHeartMedia shares (IHRT) surged as much as 14% intraday on the report, while SiriusXM (SIRI) also rose. Investors appear to be pricing in a potential catalyst ahead of SiriusXM’s Q1 earnings on April 30.
iHeartMedia, the nation’s largest radio operator with more than 860 stations across 160 U.S. markets, has shifted much of its focus in recent years toward building a major streaming business. The company has found particular success in podcasts, expanding many of its audio hits into video formats and forging partnerships with platforms such as Netflix and TikTok.Standout shows on its network include Charlamagne tha God’s The Breakfast Club and This Is Important, hosted by Workaholics stars Adam Devine, Anders Holm, and Blake Anderson.
SiriusXM has followed a similar path, evolving beyond its satellite radio roots to offer robust streaming options in news, talk, and podcasts. Its lineup features major hits such as Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy, SmartLess with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett, and Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend—all of which landed nine-figure deals with the company.
Bottom Line: A combined iHeartMedia–SiriusXM entity could emerge as a powerful traditional-media counterweight to the growing dominance of Big Tech in the audio and entertainment space.
At least on paper, why a iHeartMedia and SiriusXM merger makes sense.
The audio-media sector is under intense pressure from digital streaming giants (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music) and shifting ad dollars. Traditional broadcast and satellite radio have seen ad revenue soften, while podcasts and on-demand platforms capture younger listeners and higher-margin digital ad spend.
A tie-up would theoretically create the “undisputed king of broadcast + satellite + podcast audio,” reaching nearly every American ear each month:
iHeart brings massive free, over-the-air terrestrial distribution and podcast dominance.
SiriusXM brings high-margin subscription revenue and established satellite/streaming infrastructure (including Pandora).
Combined, the entity could bundle satellite subscriptions, ad-supported broadcast/streaming, and podcasts into a more competitive “Spotify killer” product, improve ad-tech scale, cut overlapping costs, and cross-promote content.
SiriusXM has been pushing podcasts aggressively (it is now one of the top podcast networks by reach), but integrating them with its satellite base has proven challenging. iHeart’s terrestrial reach and influencer network could accelerate that effort.
Conversely, iHeart’s ad-dependent model would gain a stable subscription revenue stream to offset declining broadcast ads.
This isn’t the first time a SiriusXM-linked entity has eyed iHeartMedia. In 2018–2019, Liberty Media (then SiriusXM’s controlling shareholder) proposed investing roughly $1.16 billion for a 40% stake during iHeart’s bankruptcy restructuring; those talks ultimately went nowhere amid creditor negotiations and regulatory concerns. DOJ antitrust scrutiny was a factor in earlier explorations.
Potential Hurdles: Antitrust/Regulatory: A merger of this scale in U.S. audio media would almost certainly draw close DOJ and FCC review. Past attempts were already flagged for concentration concerns; today’s even-larger podcast and streaming footprints could intensify scrutiny.
Debt: Both companies are described as among America’s more leveraged audio players. Any deal would need to address balance sheets carefully.
Execution: Integrating satellite infrastructure, hundreds of broadcast stations, and disparate digital platforms would be complex.
Radio’s core audience is aging rapidly and shifting away from traditional over-the-air listening, according to Jacobs Media’s Techsurvey 2026.
The annual survey of nearly 31,000 P1 (primary) listeners from 506 U.S. commercial radio stations shows broadcast now accounts for just 54% of time spent with favorite stations in a typical week — down from 59% last year — while digital platforms have climbed to 44%.
The once-dominant gap between broadcast and digital has narrowed from 71 points in 2013 to only 10 points today.
Among younger respondents, the shift is even further along: Gen Z listeners already prefer digital (49%) slightly over broadcast (48%), while Millennials split 52% broadcast to 46% digital. The average respondent is now 58.4 years old, up from 58.0 in 2025 and 55.5 in 2023. One in three is 65 or older, compared to one in four just three years ago. Boomers represent 45% of the sample, Gen X 40%, Millennials 12%, and Gen Z only 2%.
Jacobs Media President Fred Jacobs noted the same aging trend appears in the company’s public radio and Christian-format surveys, indicating it reflects the makeup of station email databases rather than a sampling anomaly. He challenged the industry’s long-standing habit of dismissing listeners 55+ as “out-of-demo,” pointing out that device ownership and digital behavior in this group have risen sharply since COVID.
Smart TV ownership among those 55+ has increased 16 points since 2021 to 75%, weekly streaming audio use has reached 72%, and smart speaker ownership has jumped from 30% to 42%. AI usage in the cohort rose from 3% in 2024 to 14% this year.
In the car — once radio’s strongest domain — AM/FM listening has fallen to 50% of weekday in-car audio time, down from 62% in 2018. SiriusXM holds 20%, streaming audio 10%. Connected car infotainment system ownership has grown from 24% to 40% over the same period, with the two trend lines moving in near-perfect opposition.
At home, working radios that respondents actually use have dropped to an all-time low of 72%, down from 83% in 2018. Among Millennials, the figure is just 61%.
The survey was conducted online from January 7 to February 8 and weighted to Nielsen 2025 market population data. It represents station database members, not the broader U.S. population. Audacy’s return to the survey this year created the largest year-over-year sample shift in recent history, which may explain some of the observed trends.
Wayne Moss, a versatile Nashville session guitarist who played on landmark hits by Roy Orbison, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette and Bob Dylan, died Monday at his home in Madison, Tenn. He was 88.
His death was caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, his family said in a statement.
A member of Nashville’s elite A-Team of studio musicians, Moss performed on dozens of hits in the 1960s and ’70s by artists including Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Charley Pride and others. He was one of the three guitarists behind the iconic staccato riff that opens Orbison’s 1964 chart-topper “Oh, Pretty Woman.”
He also contributed the distinctive guitar work on Dylan’s “I Want You” (1966), Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” (1973), “Coat of Many Colors” (1971) and “I Will Always Love You” (1974), and Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man” (1968).
“Wayne Moss was a guitarist of dexterous skill and sophisticated taste,” Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, said in a statement. “Listen carefully and you’ll hear innovative electric lead parts that drew attention to Nashville’s world-class musicianship.”
Moss was equally skilled on bass, laying down the funky groove on Joe Simon’s Grammy-winning “The Chokin’ Kind” (1969) and the distinctive part on Dylan’s “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” from the 1966 album Blonde on Blonde.
After moving to Nashville in 1959, Moss built a reputation as a first-call session player. By 1962 he had appeared on his first No. 1 record, Tommy Roe’s “Sheila.”
He later helped push country music into new territory as a founder of the experimental country-rock bands Area Code 615 (1969) and Barefoot Jerry (1971). Barefoot Jerry released six albums in the 1970s and earned a notable shout-out in the Charlie Daniels Band’s 1975 hit “The South’s Gonna Do It.”
➦In 1874...Guglielmo Marconi born (Died – 20 July 1937). He was an Italian inventor and electrical engineer, known for his pioneering work on long-distance radio transmission, development of Marconi's law, and a radio telegraph system. He is credited as the inventor of radio, and he shared the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics with Karl Ferdinand Braun "in recognition of their contributions to the development of wireless telegraphy".
Marconi was also founder of The Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company in the United Kingdom in 1897 (which became the Marconi Company). He succeeded in making an engineering and commercial success of radio by innovating and building on the work of previous experimenters and physicists
His father was a wealthy land owner and his mother was a member of Ireland’s Jameson family of distillers. Marconi was educated by tutors and at the Livorno Technical Institute and the University of Bologna.
Marconi 1901
In 1894 Marconi became fascinated with the discovery by German physicist Heinrich Rudolf Hertz of “invisible waves” generated by electromagnetic interactions. Marconi built his own wave-generating equipment at his family’s estate and was soon sending signals to locations a mile away. After failing to interest the Italian government in his work, Marconi decided to try his luck in London.
The 22-year-old Marconi and his mother arrived in England in 1896 and quickly found interested backers, including the British Post Office. Within a year Marconi was broadcasting up to 12 miles and had applied for his first patents. A year later, he set up a wireless station on the Isle of Wight that allowed Queen Victoria to send messages to her son Prince Edward aboard the royal yacht.
By 1899 Marconi’s signals had crossed the English Channel. The same year, Marconi traveled to the United States, where he gained publicity offering wireless coverage of the America’s Cup yacht race from off the coast of New Jersey.
Marconi joined the Italian Fascist party in 1923. In 1930, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini appointed him President of the Royal Academy of Italy, which made Marconi a member of the Fascist Grand Council.
Marconi died in Rome on 20 July 1937 at age 63, following a series of heart attacks, and Italy held a state funeral for him. As a tribute, all radio stations throughout the world observed two minutes of silence on the next day. His remains are housed in the Villa Griffone at Sasso Marconi, Emilia-Romagna, which assumed that name in his honor in 1938.
In 1943, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down a decision on Marconi's radio patents restoring some of the prior patents of Oliver Lodge, John Stone Stone, and Nikola Tesla. The decision was not about Marconi's original radio patents and the court declared that their decision had no bearing on Marconi's claim as the first to achieve radio transmission, just that since Marconi's claim to certain patents were questionable, he could not claim infringement on those same patents.
➦In 1908...Edward Roscoe Murrow born at Polecat Creek, near Greensboro, NC (Died from lung cancer at age 57 – April 27, 1965), He was a broadcast journalist and war correspondent. He first gained prominence during World War II with a series of live radio broadcasts from Europe for the news division of CBS. His live, shortwave broadcasts relayed on CBS electrified radio audiences as news programming never had: previous war coverage had mostly been provided by newspaper reports, along with newsreels seen in movie theaters; earlier radio news programs had simply featured an announcer in a studio reading wire service reports.
During the war he recruited and worked closely with a team of war correspondents who came to be known as the Murrow Boys.
A pioneer of radio and television news broadcasting, Murrow produced a series of reports on his television program See It Now which helped lead to the censure of Senator Joseph McCarthy.
➦In 1949…An article in LOOK magazine predicted that radio was doomed because if the growing popularity of television. However, radio reinvented itself as a local service and became bigger than ever, while LOOK disappeared in 1971.
Audacy's Sports WEEI has once again reshuffled its afternoon drive programming in an effort to reverse persistent ratings woes in one of Boston sports radio’s most competitive dayparts.
On Wednesday morning, the station informed co-hosts Andy Hart and Nick “Fitzy” Stevens that they were being let go. Third co-host Ted Johnson, a former New England Patriots linebacker, will remain with WEEI in a role that has not yet been fully defined.
Johnson could continue on the 2-6 p.m. slot, but the station is expected to announce its new lineup on Monday morning during The Greg Hill Show at 9 a.m.
Hart and Stevens had been with WEEI since 2019 and joined the afternoon drive program in one of its many recent iterations in August 2024. Johnson came aboard in January 2025, completing the trio that branded itself as “WEEI Afternoons.” The show consistently lagged far behind its primary rival, 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Felger & Mazz.
Cox Media's Soft AC WDUV (101.5 The Dove) continued its dominance, claiming the #1 spot for the second consecutive book in the 6+ rankings. The station delivered a strong gain, climbing from 8.6 to 9.8 — its highest Frosty-free share in more than a year.
Radio Training Network's Contemporary Christian WCIE (The Joy FM) held steady at #2 but slipped slightly from 7.3 to 7.0, its lowest share since October. CMG’s Classic Hits WXGL (107.3 The Eagle) repeated in third place with an unchanged 6.5 share. Beaslery's Classic Hits WRBQ (Q105) remained in fourth, posting its fourth consecutive gain, rising from 5.5 to 5.9.iHeartMedia’s Active Rock WXTB (98 Rock) made the biggest leap of the book, surging from #8 to #5 with a solid increase from 4.9 to 5.7 — its best showing since April. CMGH's AC WWRM (Magic 94.9) eased one position to #6, ticking down from 5.3 to 5.1.
WDUV also strengthened its hold on the market, remaining the clear cume leader with a slight uptick from 653,500 to 655,100 (+0.2%). Overall market listening was up 1.8%.
25-54 Breakdown: WDUV posted another convincing win in the key 25-54 demographic, securing back-to-back #1 books while posting its highest Frosty-free share in over a year. WXTB had a standout performance, jumping from #6 to #2 with its strongest 25-54 book in twelve months. WRBQ settled into third place after a three-book upward run. iHM's Pop CHR WFLZ (93.3 FLZ) slipped to #4, ending a five-book surge. WCIE landed at #5, where it was joined by WWRM, which moved up one spot despite recording its fourth straight down book. iHM's AC WMTX (Mix 100.7) fell two positions to #7.
Fox News Channel swept primetime cable ratings for the week of April 13-19, 2026, claiming all 10 of the top cable programs, while CBS delivered the strongest primetime performance among the broadcast Big Three (ABC, NBC, and CBS) with multiple original series cracking Nielsen’s national top 10.
Nielsen’s linear TV rankings (Persons 2+, Live + Same Day) showed CBS dramas and reality programs driving broadcast primetime, with ABC benefiting from NBA playoffs and CBS news programs also performing strongly overall. NBC’s primetime entertainment slate did not crack the top 10 broadcast list. Evening news programs across the networks dominated overall combined viewership, but the cable primetime category highlighted Fox News’ ongoing dominance.
iHeartMedia Philadelphia has announced Jeff Hurley has been named Senior Vice President of Programming for the market’s 105.3 WDAS FM, Power 99, ALT 104.5, Q102, Rumba 106.1, Fox Sports The Gambler 1040 AM stations.
In his new position, Hurley will oversee programming operations across the market while continuing to maintain his Executive Vice President of Programming responsibilities outside of Philadelphia, including the Upstate New York, Mid-Atlantic and New England Areas. He will report to Thea Mitchem, Executive Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia.
iHeartMedia Washington, D.C. & Baltimore have announced the addition of the Premiere Networks nationally-syndicated morning program, The Fred Show, on Hot 99.5 and Z104.3 effective Thursday, April 30. The show will be heard live on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and available on demand.
First debuting in 2011, The Fred Show delivers the perfect mix of humor, heart and real connection. Led by Fred and his cast of unforgettable personalities including Kaelin, Keke, Paulina, Showbiz Shelly and Jason Brown, the show’s genuine chemistry and unpredictable moments keep listeners coming back every day. Whether you’re tuning in for the first time or you’re a loyal fan, The Fred Show promises to brighten your day and keep you smiling.
Major music publishers, including UMG, Warner Music, and Sony Music Entertainment, have dropped their copyright infringement lawsuit against Verizon Communications, citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that sharply limits internet service providers’ liability for users’ online piracy.
The plaintiffs filed a voluntary dismissal notice on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, ending the case with prejudice. The joint stipulation means both sides will bear their own costs, and the claims will not be refiled.
The suit, filed in 2024, accused Verizon of contributory copyright infringement by allegedly profiting from tens of thousands of subscribers who used its internet service for illegal downloading and distribution of music via peer-to-peer networks like BitTorrent. The music companies, which represent the bulk of the industry, had sought more than $2.6 billion in damages.
