News Bites for June 29…
iHeartMedia Miami is partnering with Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) to support earthquake relief efforts in Venezuela through a daylong fundraising campaign on June 30. The company’s South Florida stations, including Spanish CHR “Tu 94.9” WZTU, Spanish AC “Magic 93.9” WMIA, CHR “Y100” WHYI, urban contemporary “103.5 The Beat” WMIB, classic rock “Big 105.9” WBGG, “NewsRadio 610” WIOD and “Fox Sports 940” WINZ, will air appeals encouraging listeners to donate money and essential supplies. The initiative builds on a broader humanitarian effort led by Miami-Dade County and GEM following the recent earthquakes. While supplies are being accepted at GEM’s Doral warehouse through July 3, organizers say monetary donations are the fastest and most effective way to provide immediate assistance and support long-term recovery for affected communities.Eastlan is continuing its national expansion with the addition of Seattle and Oklahoma City to its monthly radio audience measurement service, marking another step in the company’s push to broaden its footprint across major U.S. markets. The first ratings reports for both markets will be released on June 30, alongside initial monthly data for Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas and Houston. Eastlan has added nine of the 50 largest U.S. markets over the past year as advertisers increasingly shift toward impressions-based buying models. Company President Mike Gould said the expanded service is designed to give buyers a more complete view of radio performance by including all stations in each market.
iHeartRadio and TikTok will partner with Madonna for a live album preview event on July 2 ahead of the July 3 release of her new album, “CONFESSIONS II.” The hour-long “iHeartRadio and TikTok LIVE Premiere with Madonna” will stream on TikTok and air on more than 200 iHeartMedia radio stations, featuring Madonna in conversation with Bob the Drag Queen, along with appearances by producer Stuart Price and collaborator Lola Leon. Fans will be able to interact through TikTok’s live features, while iHeartRadio’s Hit Nation is inviting listeners to submit their own “confessions” for Madonna using the station’s Talkback feature. The event marks the fifth album launch collaboration between iHeartRadio and TikTok, combining broadcast radio with interactive livestreaming.Reelworld has launched AI VO, described as an industry-first suite of artificial intelligence voices designed specifically for radio imaging, marking a major step in the integration of AI into broadcast production workflows. The company says the platform is built to help stations and production teams accelerate creative output while maintaining the performance, quality and personality expected in on-air imaging. CEO Mike Thomas compared the technology’s impact to past innovations such as drum machines, digital audio workstations and AutoTune, calling AI a transformative force for audio production. Reelworld said its AI VO voices are ethically trained using proprietary models and are licensed on a market-exclusive basis with unlimited usage and no character limits, giving stations greater flexibility in branding and imaging. The company also noted the platform is part of a broader AI roadmap aimed at faster iteration, personalization and deeper integration with its imaging services.iHeartRadio will celebrate the release of Old Crow Medicine Show’s new album “Union Made” with a special programming takeover on iHeartBluegrass, as Ketch Secor serves as guest host from June 29 through July 4. The limited-run event will feature curated sets, artist commentary and behind-the-scenes insight into the album, which was released via Hartland Records and reflects on America’s 250th anniversary through stories of people, places and cultural history. Secor will highlight new tracks including “My Side of the Mountain,” co-written with Luke Combs, and “The Last American Waltz,” featuring Molly Tuttle, alongside Old Crow staples such as “Wagon Wheel.” The programming will also include selections from influences like Doc Watson and contemporaries such as Billy Strings, airing daily at 12-6pm ET on the commercial-free streaming station.