The partnership between iHeartMedia and TikTok, announced last fall, is taking more solid form now with the launch of “TikTok Radio from iHeart.”
It goes live on Friday and will be heard on the iHeartRadio app and on 28 of iHeart’s radio stations.
The organizations also announced the first lineup of “creator-hosts” for the TikTok Podcast Network.
Their positioning: “The new station will blend TikTok’s discovery engine and cultural impact with iHeart’s programming expertise and trusted personalities to give fans a new way to listen to their favorite artists’ full tracks while diving deeper into the stories, trends and moments that turned them into a cultural phenomenon.”
They promise a mix of “today’s hottest music with real-time conversation, guiding listeners through what’s breaking now.”
The format launches Friday evening at SXSW, broadcasting from Austin.
The announcement was made by Dan Page, global head of media and licensing partnerships at TikTok, and Tom Poleman, chief programming officer at iHeartMedia.
Poleman described the overall concept in the announcement: “This station is built to feel like a living, breathing For You Feed, a place where creators, music fans and our on-air talent collide in real time to shape what’s next in culture.”
They also announced several podcasts that will launch soon to populate the TikTok Podcast Network; topics include sports, fashion and social media. Hosts include former jocks, “multihyphenates,” social media stars, fashion figures and “media personalities.” You can read the list here.
