iHeartMedia, the leading global podcast network, and the Government Communications Office of the State of Qatar have signed a groundbreaking multi-year partnership to create a thriving podcasting industry in the Middle East and North Africa.

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The partnership brings world-class podcasting infrastructure to Qatar and will spark a wave of creative storytelling across the MENA region, leading to the region becoming a global podcasting hub.

iHeart will develop a state-of-the-art podcast studio in Qatar, accompanied by a lineup of original shows and the introduction of some of the world’s most popular podcasts to Arabic-listening audiences. It will also execute specialized masterclasses to nurture local talent and host global industry events, including Web Summit gatherings, positioning Qatar as a meeting point for the world’s top podcasting voices.

Sheikh Jassim bin Mansour bin Jabor Al Thani, GCO Director and Chairman of the Web Summit Permanent Organizing Committee, said: “This collaboration marks a significant step towards the development of the podcasting industry in the region and reinforcing Qatar’s position as a leading hub for digital content creation. I am confident this platform will serve as a catalyst for creativity, inspire new storytelling formats build a sustainable podcasting ecosystem and create opportunities for a new of generation of content creators in the Arab world.”

“Podcasting has exploded in the US and is now a mass-reach medium. And iHeartMedia, with our expansive network as the #1 podcaster in America, is in a unique position to grow strong listenership around the globe,” said Bob Pittman, CEO of iHeartMedia. “iHeartPodcasts features a massive catalog of original shows spanning every category and this new partnership creates an opportunity to work with a long roster of incredible creators and distribute even more content to new audiences in the Middle East.”

The partnership was announced live from Web Summit Qatar’s main stage by Conal Byrne, Chief Executive Officer of the iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group, which also featured some of iHeart’s top talents including Malcolm Gladwell, best-selling author and co-founder of Pushkin Industries and host of “Revisionist History”; Jay Shetty, global best-selling author and award-winning host of the chart-topping global podcast “On Purpose”; David Eagleman, neuroscientist at Stanford University, internationally best-selling author and host of “Inner Cosmos”; and Jonathan Strickland, Executive Producer for iHeartPodcasts and host of “TechStuff.”

Aligned with Qatar’s National Vision 2030, the partnership invests in digital media and knowledge-sharing, empowering new voices and ensuring Arabic content thrives on a global stage. The announcement follows the partnership agreement between iHeartMedia and the GCO earlier this year, which established iHeartMedia as the Official Podcast Partner for Web Summit Qatar 2025.

About the Government Communications Office of the State of Qatar

The Government Communications Office was established in 2015 to serve as the strategic communications arm of the State of Qatar. It coordinates communications activities across government and public-sector institutions, showcasing the country’s vision, initiatives and achievements in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030.

About iHeartMedia, Inc.

iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, with 90% of Americans listening to iHeart broadcast radio in every month. iHeart’s broadcast radio assets alone have a larger audience in the U.S. than any other media outlet; twice the size of the next largest broadcast radio company; and over four times the ad-enabled audience of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to Podtrac, with more downloads than the next two podcast publishers combined, has the most recognizable live events across all genres of music, has the number one social footprint among audio players, with seven times more followers than the next audio media brand, and is the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts. The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.

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