MeatEater and iHeartMedia Announce Production and Distribution Partnership
Amid Covid-19 surge of interest in outdoor pursuits, Steven Rinella’s popular MeatEater Podcast Network poised for rapid expansion through iHeartMedia’s vast multi-platform reach
Leading outdoors lifestyle brand MeatEater, Inc. and iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, announced today they have entered a major production and distribution partnership, the first of its kind in the outdoor category. Founded with the belief that a deeper understanding of the natural world enriches all of our lives, MeatEater brings together leading influencers in the outdoor space to create premium content, apparel and products in the areas of hunting, fishing, wild foods and conservation.
The partnership will leverage MeatEater’s brand, made popular by the Netflix Original MeatEater–currently in its 9th season–and chart topping podcast network which averaged over four million monthly downloads in 2020, and the massive reach of iHeartMedia’s cross-platform digital and broadcast network in order to serve outdoor-minded listeners across the country.
As part of the deal, all existing and upcoming MeatEater podcasts will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network and will be promoted across iHeartMedia’s multi-platform network, including iHeartRadio, its free all-in-one digital streaming service. Existing podcasts joining iHeartRadio will include The MeatEater Podcast with Steven Rinella, the No. 1 podcast in the outdoor category and consistently among the top 10 podcasts in the broader sports category across listening platforms.
Other shows include Wired to Hunt with Mark Kenyon, Cal’s Week in Review with Ryan Callaghan, Cutting the Distance with Remi Warren, The Hunting Collective with Ben O’Brien, and Bent with Joe Cermele and Miles Nolte. As a part of the new deal, iHeartMedia and MeatEater will also collaborate to create new co-produced podcasts in the outdoor, conservation and wild foods space.
Plus this Wednesday, April 7, MeatEater will launch its first history-focused podcast, Bear Grease, hosted by Clay Newcomb. Newcomb, a writer, hunter, and MeatEater Crew favorite, will explore things forgotten but relevant, search for insight in unlikely places, and tell the story of the American hunter through his unique experiences and approach to the outdoors.
“I frequently hear from people who are discovering the majesty of the American outdoors for the first time in their lives because of what we do,” said MeatEater CEO Dan Chumbler. “Helping people enrich their lives with nature is why we get up in the morning, and it’s why iHeartMedia is the perfect partner for us. iHeart’s reach is simply unparalleled. We can now bring our content to even more of those who, amid a pandemic, are finding a new passion for the outdoors,” added Chumbler.
“Steve and the MeatEater team have done an amazing job elevating what was previously a niche category into mainstream listening,” said Will Pearson, COO of the iHeartPodcast Network. “Fans are really embracing the outdoor lifestyle more than ever and it’s remarkable how fascinating and entertaining MeatEater has made these topics – there’s just nothing like it in the space. We are looking forward to collaborating on even more great audio content and introducing it to our listeners everywhere.”
All new co-produced and existing MeatEater podcasts will be available on iHeartRadio and all major podcast listening platforms. The iHeartPodcast Network, which is home to more than 750 original podcasts with over 228 million downloads each month, spans every category from business, sports, spirituality and technology to entertainment, lifestyle, family, comedy and true crime—and everything in between—making iHeartRadio the largest publisher of podcast content in the world.
