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.
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.
