Netflix is looking to draw more support for its streaming service in the wake of news that it was attempting to acquire Warner Bros., with the streamer partnering with iHeartMedia to deliver video episodes of that service’s podcasts. While the intrinsic nature of podcasts means it has long been an audio-forward medium, recent years have seen series finding success by sharing video of episode recordings on YouTube, resulting in that platform reaping the rewards. Back in October, Netflix announced it was similarly partnering with Spotify to stream video episodes from Spotify Studios and The Ringer.
The Hollywood Reporter announced the partnership, with the outlet also confirming the following iHeartMedia series would debut new episodes on Netflix, along with select library titles:
- The Breakfast Club
- Bobby Bones Presents: The Bobbycast,
- My Favorite Murder
- Dear Chelsea
- Joe and Jada
- This Is Important
- The Psychology of Your 20s
- Behind the Bastards
- Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know,
- Stuff You Missed in History Class
- Stuff To Blow Your Mind
- New Rory & MAL
- 3 and Out with John Middlekauff
- Buried Bones
Previously announced titles with the Spotify deal include The Bill Simmons Podcast, The Zach Lowe Show, The McShay Show, The Rewatchables, and Conspiracy Theories.
For years, Netflix was known as a place to stream movies and TV (and long ago, the place to rent DVDs and Blu-rays by mail), though the platform has ventured into new territories as the landscape of entertainment has changed. One pivotal evolution was when Netflix decided to release original movies in theaters for a limited time ahead of their Netflix debut, and they again expanded with the acquisition of WWE’s Monday Night Raw and many other live sporting events. The service has also rolled out various interactive games over the years, and even debuted the interactive Black Mirror movie Bandersnatch, in which an audience controlled the direction of the narrative.
Bob Pittman, CEO of iHeartMedia, shared of the partnership:
“Audio podcasting has been the fastest-growing medium over the past 20 years, and now we’re thrilled to expand that experience with an exciting new category – video podcasts. Netflix has a leading video-first service, and this partnership perfectly complements our strong audio foundation. Working with Netflix — an important leader in entertainment — gives fans one more way to connect with the personalities they love and opens the door to new audiences, including viewers discovering these shows for the first time.”
Lauren Smith, Netflix vice president of content licensing and programming strategy, added, “With this partnership we are incredibly excited to offer our members such unmatched variety, and to deliver highly entertaining podcasts featuring some of the world’s most dynamic personalities.”
Netflix is expected to launch these shows on its service sometime in early 2026.
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