iHeartMedia and TikTok have teamed up to launch a podcast network and radio station dedicated to creators.
As part of the collaboration, they will launch the TikTok Podcast Network, which will host up to 25 new podcasts from digital creators. The network aims for creators to tell personal stories, trend forecasting and cultural commentary. The partnership has not revealed which creators will have podcasts on the new network.
iHeartMedia will create new co-branded podcast studios in Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta that support both podcasting and video poduction. All podcasts will be distributed widely by iHeartPodcasts and available on the iHeartRadio app. Podcasts will also be clipped for TikTok.
“This partnership connects TikTok’s cultural energy and creator community with the unmatched scale and reach of iHeartMedia,” Rich Bressler, president and COO and CFO for iHeartMedia, said. “We’re giving creators access to the biggest audio platforms in America — creating new ways to tell stories, entertain and build deeper connections with fans. Together, we’re combining our vast networks to deliver relevant content on a massive scale. It’s a win for creators, fans, and brands alike.”
TikTok Radio will be a radio experience catered for digital-first consumers, described as “a station where listeners will feel like they are scrolling on TikTok, but with their ears.”
“This partnership with iHeartMedia opens up exciting new opportunities for creators and brands to reach wider audiences, collaborate across platforms and extend their creativity beyond the TikTok platform,” Dan Page, TikTok’s Global Head of Media and Licensing Partnerships, said. “Together, we’re amplifying the connection between artists, creators and our community through the shared power of cross platform storytelling.”
This is not the first collaboration between the two platforms. TikTok and iHeartRadio launched a singing competition together, titled “Next Up: Live Music.” Hopeful vocalists auditioned on the platform before the top 12 finalists performed at the iHeartRadio Theater in Burbank Sept. 26.
This strategic partnership comes as video podcasting melds with mainstream entertainment, including Netflix and Spotify‘s deal to bring video podcasts to the streamer. The deal includes a curated selection of shows from The Ringer.
