iHeartMedia Podcast Network

Largest podcast network in the United States by download volume, with a growing programmatic audio advertising capability alongside dominant direct-deal sales

iHeartMedia Podcast Network is a major audio media company that pursues programmatic audio advertising as a complement to its direct-deal ad sales.¹ Its content portfolio includes 500 national podcast shows — such as "Stuff You Should Know" and "The Ron Burgundy Podcast" — that collectively generate 250 million monthly downloads.¹ To strengthen its ad technology capabilities, iHeartMedia acquired Voxnest, an audio tech company offering podcast analytics and programmatic advertising tools for publishers, with the goal of filling ad inventory not sold through direct deals.² The network aims to make it easier for buyers and sellers to transact in what remains a fragmented podcast ad-buying marketplace, with direct deals currently accounting for as much as 90% of its ad sales. iHeartMedia also sees an opportunity to extend Voxnest's technology to other publishers, taking a cut of ad sales and driving sell-through rates closer to 100% across the broader industry.¹ Source 1: businessinsider.com — IHeartMedia Acquires Voxnest to Beef up Programmatic ... Source 2: adexchanger.com — IHeartMedia Buys Programmatic Podcast Platform; GroupM ...