Ignite Launchpad

04/14/2026

As I look back on the past 2 1/2 years as an Account Executive in the Detroit market with iHeartMedia iHeartRadio, my heart is full. This experience was about far more than sales gravy. It was about connecting humans with humans every single day, on every platform. I am deeply grateful for the mentorship, leadership, and belief from Colleen Corken Grant, Tony Travatto, Cody Trombley, Kim Blotkamp, Timothy Jorgensen, Lee Robinson, Lauren Pallitto, Angel Tedesco, Alisha Bailey, and many more. You helped shape how I show up for partners, teammates, and myself.

I loved working alongside the iconic brands that define Detroit radio, Channel 955 with MOJO in the Morning, 100.3 WNIC, 106.7 WLLZ, Mix 92.3 , 97.9 WJLB, and the people behind the microphones who create real emotional connection, including Lydia Jarjosa, Cheron Sanders, and so many others. Being part of these teams showed me the power of storytelling and trust and the responsibility that comes with representing a brand that people invite into their lives every day.

The daily grind of client success taught me everything. Early mornings, late follow ups, problem solving in real time, celebrating wins big and small, and always putting the client first. It meant listening more than talking, understanding a business before pitching a solution, and showing up consistently even when it was hard. That work ethic and that mindset will stay with me forever.

❤️

With that foundation, I am excited to share that I have begun a new chapter as a Multimedia Account Executive with Townsquare Media, Townsquare Ignite, and Townsquare Interactive now serving the Lansing and Mid Michigan market. I am incredibly thankful to Liz and Becky Kanaby for believing in me and trusting me with this opportunity. Your confidence in me made this transition possible, and I do not take that lightly.

In this role, I will be working more closely with small to mid sized businesses to build full media strategies that include web dev, SEO, lead gen, streaming TV, broadcast radio, and on air endorsements.

The goal is simple and powerful; to help businesses grow by meeting their customers where they already are and creating engagement across every touchpoint. I am especially grateful for the opportunity to partner with Michigan State University athletics in a major way and to be part of storytelling that unites brands, community, and pride.

At the core of all of this is human connection. Understanding their behaviors, honoring their stories, and helping them reach others with authenticity and intention.

I am thankful for where I have been, proud of the work that shaped me, and genuinely excited for what is ahead in Mid Michigan.

Grateful always. Let’s WIN 🚀

12/17/2025

12/16/2025

Netflix Strikes Deal With iHeartMedia On Video Podcasts

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/netflix-strikes-deal-iheartmedia-video-podcasts-1236451850/

Video episodes from shows including Charlamagne tha God’s 'The Breakfast Club' will stream on the platform in early 2026.
Charlamagne tha God speaks onstage during Day 2 of Invest Fest 2025 at Georgia World Congress Center on August 23 in Atlanta.
Charlamagne tha God is the host of the popular podcast 'The Breakfast Club.' Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Netflix is officially bringing more video podcasts onto the platform.

The streaming giant announced a partnership with iHeartMedia to stream new video episodes of more than 15 iHeartPodcasts, including Charlamagne tha God’s The Breakfast Club, My Favorite Murder, Chelsea Handler’s Dear Chelsea, Bobby Bones Presents: The Bobbycast and more. The deal, which also includes select library episodes from each show, will see the video podcast episodes launch on Netflix in early 2026 in the U.S.

The deal follows Netflix’s announcement in October of a partnership with Spotify to stream video podcast episodes of shows from Spotify Studios and The Ringer including The Bill Simmons Podcast, The Zach Lowe Show, The McShay Show, The Rewatchables, Conspiracy Theories and more.

All of this comes as Netflix seeks to compete with its main rival, YouTube, which is the most popular platform for video podcasts. As part of both the iHeartMedia and Spotify deals, new full video episodes can no longer appear on YouTube and must remain exclusive to Netflix. IHeartMedia retains all audio-only rights and distribution for the shows.

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos had floated the idea of bringing video podcasts to the platform in April 2025, citing the popularity of the medium, and had been reaching out to dozens of agents this fall in an attempt to sign on more podcasters.

The lineup of iHeartMedia shows at launch includes:
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

“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,” said Bob Pittman, CEO of iHeartMedia.

“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,” said Lauren Smith, Netflix vice president of content licensing and programming strategy.

Business Insider

Netflix has done its second big podcast deal as it prepares to launch a slate of shows in early 2026
https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-iheartmedia-sign-exclusive-video-podcast-deal-2025-12

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 09: Charlamagne tha God speaks onstage during Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Fan Screening at Paris Theater on December 09, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images for Netflix)
Coming soon to Netflix: Charlamagne Tha God's video podcast and other iHeartMedia shows. Jason Mendez/Getty Images for Netflix
Dec 16, 2025, 11:01 AM ET

Netflix will exclusively host over a dozen iHeartMedia video podcasts starting in 2026.
The deal includes shows like "The Breakfast Club" but excludes some of iHeart's other top podcasts.
The deal is part of Netflix's effort to capitalize on the growing popularity of video podcasts.

Netflix just made its second big podcast move, announcing a deal with iHeartMedia to exclusively host the video versions of more than a dozen of its shows.
Those shows include "The Breakfast Club," cohosted by popular radio personality Charlamagne tha God; true crime show "My Favorite Murder"; and "Dear Chelsea" with Chelsea Handler.

Netflix said the shows will launch on its platform in early 2026 in the US, with other markets to follow.

Netflix stressed the variety of the shows available through the deal. Bob Pittman, iHeartMedia's CEO, said it let his company complement its audio foundation with a leading video-first service. The video versions of the shows will only be available on Netflix — and crucially won't be on YouTube — while iHeartMedia retains the audio-only rights and distribution.

The deal is Netflix's second big foray into video podcasts after announcing a similar deal with Spotify in October for shows including "The Bill Simmons Podcast," "The Rewatchables," and "Conspiracy Theories."

Netflix's move into video podcasts is part of a broader effort to expand its content offerings beyond its core of TV series and movies. The streamer has added content from YouTubers like Ms. Rachel, sports programming, and even games as its engagement time has flattened. Netflix is also seeking to buy Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming and studios business.

Besides its Spotify and iHeartMedia deals, Netflix has explored potential pacts with individual podcasters, including Alex Cooper of "Call Her Daddy" fame, two people familiar with the talks previously told Business Insider. Netflix has also been looking to hire a video podcast executive.

The streamer told potential partners it wants to have 50 to 75 shows when its video podcasts launch in early 2026, two dealmakers previously told Business Insider, with one hearing the platform was looking to build that number to as many as 200 over time.

The iHeartMedia deal checks a few boxes for Netflix, which, in keeping with its stated goal of serving everyone, has been seeking shows across various genres, including pop culture, true crime, sports, and comedy. "The Breakfast Club" is the 15th most listened to podcast, according to Edison Research, and its daily format could help Netflix establish itself as a routine destination. The deal notably doesn't include iHeartMedia's other podcasts in the top 50, including the flagship "Stuff You Should Know," "Club Shay Shay," and "On Purpose with Jay Shetty."

Netflix's podcast negotiations have, in general, been complicated by the fact that video distribution rights are often controlled by a mix of the host and the network.
For some podcasters, being on Netflix offers a potential new audience and the prestige of being part of a curated offering. However, for others, Netflix's demand for video exclusivity would mean giving up the important ad revenue and reach they gain on YouTube, and potentially alienating their fans who find them there.

There are also questions about how much Netflix will promote the shows and what viewer data it'll share with hosts, who are accustomed to receiving robust data on their shows from YouTube.

Podcasts are mostly an audio experience, but people are increasingly watching them in video form. An Edison Research report in July found that over half (51%) of people in the US 12 and up said they had watched a video podcast, with 37% having watched one in the previous month.

Netflix's podcast deal with iHeartMedia brings exclusive video podcasts like "The Breakfast Club" and "My Favorite Murder" to the streamer in 2026.

01/07/2025

What's your favorite podcast category?

The iHeartPodcast Awards show will take place March 10 at 7 p.m. CT at the ACL Live at the Moody Theater in Austin, and also be live-broadcasted on select iHeartMedia Radio Stations, on the iHeartRadio app and on iHeartRadio’s YouTube Channel.

The awards show from iHeartMedia will take place March 10 in Austin.

11/15/2024

Ad retargeting works by relying on cookies to continue following users once they have been on your site and then placing customized display ads into their feed.

Driving people to your website is an essential part of advertising, but ensuring customers complete their purchase is equally important. All too often, potential buyers browse for a while and then leave a site without actually converting. That’s where ad retargeting comes into play, providing a st...

11/15/2024

In the markets where Freevee has been launched (the U.S., the U.K., Germany and Austria), free content will be made available to non-Prime users under the Prime Video umbrella and will be labeled “Watch for Free.”

Amazon is officially shutting down Freevee, its free, ad-supported video streaming service originally launched under the IMDb brand.

11/15/2024

Podcasts account for one-fifth of all time spent with ad-supported audio, according to Edison Research’s Share Of Ear. And those hours spent with the medium could be considered as focused time: 45% listen at home and 36% listen while in transit or commuting. Moreover, 91% listen to podcasts alone.

Podcasts account for one-fifth of all time spent with ad-supported audio, according to Edison Research’s Share Of Ear. And those hours spent with the medium could be considered as focused