iWorld
Netflix tunes in to iHeartMedia’s podcast empire
NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES: Netflix has pulled off a coup in the podcasting wars, securing exclusive video rights to more than 15 of iHeartMedia’s top shows. The deal, announced today, will see everything from My Favorite Murder to The Breakfast Club land on the streaming platform in early 2026—video podcasts finally getting their Netflix moment.
It’s quite the roster. Charlamagne Tha God and his breakfast crew, true-crime enthusiasts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, and Chelsea Handler doling out advice will all be streaming exclusively on Netflix. The Workaholics lads are coming too, along with Bobby Bones, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, and a battalion of history buffs dissecting everyone from bastards to buried bones.
“Audio podcasting has been the fastest-growing medium over the past 20 years,” says iHeartMedia chief executive Bob Pittman, clearly chuffed about adding pictures to the mix. The partnership gives fans “one more way to connect with the personalities they love,” he adds—presumably whilst folding laundry or pretending to work from home.
Netflix vice-president of content licensing and programming strategy Lauren Smith Is equally enthusiastic about offering members “unmatched variety.” Translation: there’s now something to watch between true-crime documentaries and true-crime podcasts about true crime.
The jewel in the crown is The Breakfast Club, which recently notched up one billion downloads. Hosts DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Loren LoRosa and Charlamagne Tha God have been breaking down news and culture to a massive audience—now they’ll do it on camera too. My Favorite Murder brings its two billion lifetime downloads to the party, whilst The Psychology of Your 20s promises to help viewers survive their growing pains through the magic of psychology.
Sports fans get John Middlekauff’s NFL insights, music lovers get Bobby Bones chatting up celebrities, and the perpetually curious get three separate Stuff podcasts examining everything from conspiracy theories to the bits history class forgot.
iHeartMedia keeps all audio-only rights, so the shows will continue their reign on iHeartRadio and other podcast platforms. Audio purists can breathe easy—nobody’s forcing them to watch Robert Evans explain historical villainy whilst they’re on the Tube.
The real question: will people actually watch podcasts, or will these just become expensive screensavers? Netflix is betting that seeing Chelsea Handler’s facial expressions whilst she dispenses wisdom is worth the bandwidth. With over 300 million paid memberships to tap, they’ve got a decent shot at finding out.
One thing’s certain: the podcast industrial complex just got a whole lot more visual. Whether that’s progress or just podcasting with extra steps remains to be seen.
iWorld
Epic Company launches unified Epic Studio for films and OTT
Vivek Krishnani to head films business; Samar Khan leads OTT & Television.
MUMBAI: Epic just merged its creative superheroes under one cape because when films and OTT need to fight for attention together, you don’t keep them in separate universes. The Epic Company has launched Epic Studio, a next-generation creative and production powerhouse that unites Juggernaut Productions and Movieverse Studio under a single banner. The move creates a streamlined, scalable platform for premium storytelling across theatrical films, OTT originals, television, digital-first formats and branded content.
Vivek Krishnani has been appointed chief executive officer, Epic Studio (Films), overseeing the theatrical and film business with a focus on culturally resonant narratives across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati and Malayalam cinema. Samar Khan continues as chief executive officer, Epic Studio (OTT & Television) and retains his role as chief content officer for Docubay and Epic On.
The Epic Company managing director Aditya Pittie said, “Epic Studio brings together our entire creative ecosystem under one unified studio vision. This is not just an integration of verticals, but the creation of a collaborative environment where writers, filmmakers, creators, and brand partners can seamlessly develop and scale stories across formats and screens.”
Vivek Krishnani added, “We are building an audience-focused mainstream film studio committed to delivering fresh, engaging, and innovative stories for both theatrical and streaming platforms.”
Samar Khan commented, “This alignment allows us to approach storytelling with a unified studio mindset. We are building IP under one creative umbrella, with scale and longevity in mind from inception.”
The unified structure eliminates silos, enabling ideas to flow fluidly from concept to screen while adapting to evolving audience behaviour. Epic Studio positions itself as a creator-led ecosystem championing purposeful, resonant storytelling with commercial strength.
In an entertainment landscape where stories now leap between screens faster than plot twists, Epic isn’t just building a studio, it’s crafting a single launchpad where every tale gets the best shot at soaring across every platform.
