Partnership Positions AURN to Meet Growing Demand for Multicultural Podcast Content
American Urban Radio Networks (AURN) is poised to take the lead in the burgeoning market for multicultural podcast content, thanks to a historic partnership with Pod Digital Media (PDM), the first full-service agency devoted to expanding access and opportunities for podcasters of color.
Under the terms of the partnership agreement, AURN is now the exclusive sales marketing representative for the New York-based agency heralded by Forbes Magazine as a company “disrupting the podcasting space and how the multicultural segment is emerging to dominate the industry.”
The deal is a boon to both advertisers and listeners looking to tap into authentic and engaging content that appeals to the African American market segment.
AURN, already the largest radio network reaching urban America with nearly 25 million listeners each week, can now offer an extensive portfolio of podcast content to its advertisers, including top-rated podcast programming such as: Inside the Green Room, C”m On Son, Ratchet & Respectable, Marissa Explains It All and Reid This Reid That by Joi Ann & Jaquee Reid.
Industry advertising insiders are quick to note that podcasting–thanks to natural audience segmentation, appeal to the coveted Millennial audience and engagement that is inherent in the media–is rife with opportunities for advertisers in key categories, including pharmaceutical, automotive, direct-to-consumer brands, consumer packaged goods and others. According to the PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Podcast Advertising Revenue Study, projected podcast ad revenues will top $1 billion by 2021.
Andy Anderson, President, Sales, for American Urban Radio Networks (AURN) who oversees sales, marketing strategy, digital expansion and new business development for the network’s 500+ radio affiliates, notes that when it comes to the multicultural market, opportunities for advertisers are plentiful. The AURN/PDM partnership is a tactical move that soundly addresses this fact.
Anderson explains, “AURN has been a key player in the industry for more than 47 years. Combining AURN’s broadcast reach, position as the number one radio network targeting African-Americans and our longevity in the business with a strong podcasting platform makes for a natural partnership and an ideal way to tap into the projected one billion dollar market for multicultural podcast content.”
Gary Coichy, PDM Founder and Head of Partnerships, echoes Anderson’s assessment. “Partnering with AURN is just good business sense,” he says. “AURN is a leader in the urban radio space, which gives PDM unlimited access to countless large and influential brands. We’re honored to be the podcast arm to their expansive inventory. Great things are on the horizon.”
Last year, the number of podcast listeners in the United States reached 75 million, according to findings from a 2019 survey from Edison Research and Triton Digital. This same data predicts that the number of monthly listeners will hit 164 million in the year 2024, with the annual growth rate between 2019 and 2023 pegged at 17 percent.
Not surprisingly, the multicultural segment is fueling much of the uptick. Yet another Edison Research study on listener demographics reports, “as the content universe for Podcasts has exploded, the diversity of programming available rivals any other form of audio. The podcast audience is growing increasingly non-white.”
AURN and PDM will debut their platform during Black History Month, Anderson notes. “Entering the podcast space will be a significant extension for AURN, with some 50 different podcasts with an estimated reach of nearly 3 million listeners.”
