What Happened?

Shares of global media and entertainment company iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) jumped 6.2% in the afternoon session after the company announced it would expand its podcast platform to include free video distribution for creators. 

This new feature, scheduled to launch in early 2026, would allow podcasters to upload and distribute full-length video versions of their episodes directly within the iHeartRadio app and on the web. The company stated this expansion of its 'Creators First' mission would come at no cost to the creators. 

The move was designed to give content producers the ability to seamlessly offer both audio and video, providing more ways to engage with their audiences.

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What Is The Market Telling Us

iHeartMedia’s shares are extremely volatile and have had 71 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.

The previous big move we wrote about was 4 days ago when the stock gained 2.7% on the news that the company announced a strategic integration with Viant Technology to improve targeted advertising capabilities. 

The partnership was set to deliver enhanced addressability and measurement across iHeartMedia's network, which included podcasts, streaming, and broadcast radio. 

This integration allowed advertisers using Viant's platform to run more precisely targeted campaigns across iHeart's extensive audio inventory. By improving how ads were delivered to specific audiences, the collaboration aimed to make advertising on its platforms more effective for clients, which investors viewed as a positive step for future revenue.

iHeartMedia is up 129% since the beginning of the year, but at $4.64 per share, it is still trading 9.1% below its 52-week high of $5.10 from December 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of iHeartMedia’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $381.17.

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