It’s been a busy week for iHeartMedia.
Amid rumored negotiations with Netflix, the company best known for its radio stations and podcasts is going into business with TikTok. The two companies will team up to launch the TikTok Podcast Network, which could result in up to 25 new shows helmed by creators.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, iHeartMedia and TikTok will establish co-branded facilities in New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta, where creators will be able to record both audio and video versions of their podcasts. “At TikTok, empowering creativity and connecting communities are at the heart of everything we do,” said TikTok Global Head of Media and Licensing Partnerships Dan Page. “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.”
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The partnership looks to leverage the growing popularity of podcasts. In theory, the deal is a win-win-win for all three parties involved.
iHeartMedia is diving headfirst into the creator economy.
The company now known as iHeartMedia has been around for more than 50 years, but it’s not afraid of change — hence its ongoing adoption of podcasts to go along with its array of radio stations. These days, if you want to put a finger on the cultural pulse, working with creators is a great way to do it.
That’s why, for iHeartMedia, the TikTok partnership will extend beyond the upcoming podcasts. A new station called TikTok Radio will pair influencers with on-air personalities while playing songs that have gone viral thanks to their inclusion in short-form trends. Creators are also expected to factor into several of iHeartMedia’s upcoming events, including the iHeartRadio Music Festival and iHeartRadio Jingle Ball.
For creators, the podcast has become the Swiss Army knife of content formats.
Platforms like YouTube and TikTok have encouraged creators to diversify their work across multiple formats. Achieving the recommended breadth is hard work, but podcasts make the multiformat lifestyle much easier to live.
Though the creators who will work with TikTok and iHeartMedia haven’t been revealed, there will assuredly be a lot of influencers angling for that opportunity. As complete shows, podcasts can satisfy demands for high watch time by keeping viewers and listeners engaged for hours at a time. Those programs can also serve background listeners and keep fans entertained year-round.
Short-form clips mined from those long-form episodes can take on a life of their own. Clipping has become such a big business that several notable entrepreneurs, including MrBeast, have launched platforms dedicated to the practice. When you add in the cultural cachet creators can pick up when they interview high-profile guests, the podcast format becomes a no-brainer.
TikTok stars are already getting into podcasts, and the platform is following the money.
A podcast network full of TikTok stars already exists. Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper made a splash when she rolled out the Unwell Network, a creator-forward podcast company that has already expanded into realms like advertising and live events.
If TikTok notables like Alix Earle and Madeleine Argy are going to become podcasters anyway, the platform itself might as well get in on the fun. And since there’s a growing link between podcast production and marketing dollars, TikTok can add another advantage for itself as it looks to promote its Shop during the upcoming holiday season.
