iHeartRadio announced iHeart 3D Audio and its strategic expansion into binaural podcasting, an innovative new method of producing podcasts that places listeners into the middle of an audio soundscape, immersing them in the story like never before. Tapping into the potential of innovative 3D audio, iHeartMedia will debut a captivating new slate of podcasts, cementing itself in this category of experiential media and spearheading the exploration of what’s possible with cutting-edge audio technology.
Binaural, or 3D audio, creates a sense of movement, location and triggers other senses, enhancing listening experiences and providing a new way for people to hear high quality, surround sound, immersive content, and reproducing real-life experiences, much like virtual reality has done for video, right in their own homes. With in-person entertainment on hold, consumers are gravitating toward digital format entertainment and podcasting has taken center stage, with listenership expected to grow by 30 million listeners each year through 2023. Amid this new paradigm, iHeartMedia is dedicated to evolving its podcast network, providing a more multifaceted at-home listening experience for more fulfilling entertainment.
Through iHeart 3D Audio, iHeartMedia will launch a new slate of podcasts that is underpinned by the unique recording technology. Building on the success of its previously-launched binaural audio series 13 Days of Halloween from iHeartMedia and Blumhouse Television, which drove more than 2.8 MM listens, iHeartMedia, in collaboration with renowned writer, creator and producer Aaron Mahnke, will expand upon the series and release a seasonally focused “13 Days” franchise of podcasts correlating with various major holidays. The new iHeart 3D Audio slate will also include the upcoming podcast The Mantawauk Caves, a co-production with Blumhouse Television, as well as a series of bonus 3D episodes across the year for hit shows like The Ron Burgundy Podcast.
iHeartMedia’s new iHeart 3D Audio slate of podcasts will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network, which is home to more than 750 original podcasts with over 253 million downloads each month. iHeartRadio Original Podcasts span every category from business, sports, spirituality and technology to entertainment, family, comedy and true crime—and everything in between—making iHeartRadio the largest publisher of podcast content in the world.