ViacomCBS, iHM Partner For Podcasts

ViacomCBS’ Entertainment & Youth Group Wednesday announced a three-year pact with iHeartMedia. The deal calls for the biggest global commercial podcast publisher to create dozens of original podcasts, both new and those that leverage iconic IP and extend powerhouse franchises from the biggest and most beloved brands.

The breadth of the portfolio – comprised of MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Network, Smithsonian Channel, Pop TV, CMT, VH1, TV Land and Logo – will enable diverse and inclusive audio offerings that cater to every demographic and age group – from the coasts to the heartland – and across genres including music, comedy, pop culture and history. The initial slate includes:

• Comedy Central
• The Daily Show with Trevor Noah will be expanding its library of content by producing additional, original podcasts from the Correspondents and more.
• MTV
• Yo! MTV Raps, the seminal music and interview series that introduced hip hop to a general audience.

These upcoming series’ join two from Comedy Central - The Daily Show with Trevor Noah: Ears Edition, launched in 2018 and featuring episode highlights and extended interviews and has delivered more than 170M+ downloads to date,  and The Daily Show: Podcast Universe, launched in 2019 and is an original, five-episode mini-series where each episode parodies a popular podcast or podcast genre.

“We are excited to partner with iHeartMedia, the leading global commercial podcast publisher to expand our hit shows and IP into hit franchises,” said Keyes Hill-Edgar, Chief Operating Officer, Entertainment & Youth Group, ViacomCBS. “iHeart’s wide distribution and availability across a number of leading platforms align well with our global reach and audiences.”

“These are some of the most iconic brands in the world.  First and foremost – as fans of these brands – we wanted to see them have a really strong presence in podcasting,” said Conal Byrne, President, the iHeartPodcast Network. “So our plan is simple: We will swing all of our resources behind these incredible brands – with support from our production teams, our huge distribution and marketing muscle, and the biggest and best audio sales team in the country – to make sure they get the audience they deserve in this incredible new medium.”

All of the audio series will be distributed through the iHeartPodcast Network and available on iHeartRadio in addition to wherever fans find their favorite podcasts.