TikTok Launches Radio Network With 25 Creator-Hosted Podcasts

TikTok and iHeartMedia launched TikTok Radio from iHeart on March 13, 2026, distributing programming across 28 terrestrial broadcast stations in eight U.S. cities and the iHeartRadio app simultaneously.

The partnership also establishes the TikTok Podcast Network, which plans up to 25 creator-hosted shows spanning music, fashion, and sports.

TikTok Enters Broadcast Radio With Full Infrastructure Backing

The new radio station reaches audiences in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, and Miami. Programming includes TikTok-native formats such as hourly life hack segments, "Hot Takes" from hosts, and an "On The Verge" segment spotlighting emerging artists trending on TikTok's For You Page.

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The station uses TikTok's own trending chart as its music guide rather than Billboard's Hot 100, positioning the platform as an independent music discovery vehicle separate from traditional radio programming logic.

The inaugural podcast lineup includes music executive Carter Gregory's Set List, fashion editor Caroline Vazzana's Caroline's Closet, and former Vine star Lele Pons' Suite 305. TikTok and iHeartMedia have also established co-branded production studios in New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta for audio and video podcast production.

Dan Page, TikTok's Global Head of Media and Licensing Partnerships, stated: "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."

The launch broadcast was staged live from the iHeartPodcasts Hotel at SXSW in Austin.

Platform Convergence Already a Competitive Reality Across Asia

For marketing leaders in Asia, the TikTok-iHeartMedia model reflects a media convergence strategy already operating at scale in the region. Singapore Eye, a Chinese-language media outlet, runs a full multi-platform distribution network across WeChat, Weibo, Facebook, Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and YouTube, reaching over 3 million subscribers with more than 1 million monthly active users.

That operational model, combining social platform reach with structured content production, is what TikTok Radio now formalizes in the U.S. with broadcast licenses and physical studio infrastructure behind it.

WARC research on APAC brand-creator partnerships identifies that the most commercially effective creator deals in Asia are moving away from one-off sponsored posts toward profit-sharing arrangements, co-created content, and always-on formats tied to measurable sales outcomes. TikTok Radio's creator-host model, where named creators own structured shows within a distributed network, mirrors that shift directly.

Ogilvy's 2026 Influence Trends report frames the creator economy as foundational to modern marketing, identifying structural integration of creators into media distribution as the next evolution beyond standard influencer campaigns.

TikTok's Second Broadcast Audio Partnership Marks a Deeper Commitment

TikTok previously partnered with SiriusXM in 2021 for radio programming. The iHeartMedia deal represents TikTok's second broadcast audio partnership in approximately five years, but the first to combine terrestrial radio stations, a dedicated podcast network, and physical production studios under one agreement.

A parallel development in Asia adds further context. On March 16, 2026, K-Wave Media and the Metaplex Foundation announced a partnership developing tokenized fan co-ownership models within the K-culture creator economy, signaling that creator-owned media in Asia is moving beyond advertising revenue toward IP ownership structures.

Additional podcast programming details for the TikTok Podcast Network are expected in the coming months.