TikTok launches TikTok Radio and Podcasts with iHeartMedia
With most TikTok FYPs already brimming with podcast clips, it's clear the social media company is now trying to break into the genre.
On Friday, the company is launching the TikTok Podcast Network and a new platform called TikTok Radio. Both projects are working with iHeartMedia to help fill out the audio-first content. The idea behind TikTok Radio is, basically, an FYP for, well, radio and podcasts.
Wrote TikTok in a press release:
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"TikTok Radio captures the speed and cultural momentum of the For You feed in real time, blending trending music with commentary from TikTok creators and established iHeartRadio personalities. The station will broadcast live for the first time on March 13 from SXSW, and will be available on the free iHeartRadio app and across 28 broadcast stations nationwide, including New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, Miami, and more."
The TikTok Podcast Network, meanwhile, also launches on Friday with a lineup of creators enlisted to start pods. Among those creators were Lele Pons, Carter Gregory, and Caroline Vazzana. The idea is to give fans deeper insight into their favorite creators.
Here's a breakdown of the five long-form podcasts launching with the TikTok Podcast Network:
The Set List: Hosted by media personality, music executive, host, and cultural tastemaker Carter Gregory (@thecarterb), The Set List takes listeners into the backstage spaces where culture is being created for intimate conversations with top artists and creatives, giving fans new insight into the creative DNA behind their work.
Suite 305 with Lele Pons: Hosted by multihyphenate and social media star Lele Pons (@lelepons), listeners will step into the world’s most unfiltered slumber party. Suite 305 is where the people who shape culture finally get to be themselves.
Caroline’s Closet: Hosted by fashion editor, author, and personality Caroline Vazzana(@cvazzana), Caroline is drawing back the curtain on the fashion industry and giving listeners a front row seat.
Sports Slice: Hosted by Tim Martin (@timbosliceoflife12), Sports Slice is where the biggest stories in sports get cut down and served with loud takes, real conversations, and absolutely no safe picks.
The Clifford Show: Hosted by former college football player turned viral sports creator Clifford Taylor IV (@clifford), The Clifford Show is your VIP pass to the hustle and grind of making it in sports and in media.
"We couldn’t be more excited to launch TikTok Radio and introduce our inaugural slate of hosts for the TikTok Podcast Network," said Dan Page, global head of media and licensing partnerships at TikTok, in a statement.
"At TikTok, empowering creators to turn their passions into lasting careers is core to everything we do, and this partnership unlocks powerful new opportunities for them to expand their voices across radio, podcasts, and live moments, while connecting with fans in new ways."
Tim Marcin is an Associate Editor on the culture team at Mashable, where he mostly digs into the weird parts of the internet. You'll also see some coverage of memes, tech, sports, trends, and the occasional hot take. You can find him on Bluesky (sometimes), Instagram (infrequently), or eating Buffalo wings (as often as possible).
