Netflix delves further into video podcasting with 15-title iHeartMedia pact

Netflix is moving further into the video podcasting space through a new deal with iHeartMedia.

Bob Pittman

Itsthegirl via CC

The pact, which comes on the heels of a deal with Spotify, will see Netflix gain exclusive access to more than 15 video podcasts from iHeartPodcasts. They include news and culture series The Breakfast Club, hosted by DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Loren LoRosa and Charlamagne Tha God; true-crime original My Favorite Murder; and music and entertainment podcast Bobby Bones Presents: The Bobbycast.

Each title will launch on Netflix in the US in early 2026, with more territories to be revealed in the coming months.

iHeartMedia will continue to retain the audio-only rights to the podcasts, which will continue to be available on iHeartRadio and other podcast platforms.

Other shows covered by the deal include Joe & Jada, Dear Chelsea, 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 and New Rory & MAL.

As it continues to look for new ways to bolster engagement and keep users on the platform for longer, Netflix has begun experimenting with new formats such as video podcasting as it eyes YouTube’s audience share.

In October, it struck a wide-ranging video podcast partnership with Spotify, which included The Bill Simmons Podcast and several sport-focused shows from pod network The Ringer and Spotify Studios.

“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,” said iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman.

“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’s VP 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.”