Netflix takes on YouTube with iHeartMedia video podcast partnership
At this point, Netflix isn't even trying to compete. It's straight up trying to just take things.
Even though Netflix is best known for its endless collection of movies and shows, it looks like the platform now wants to branch out into something bigger, and possibly better, as it dips its foot into... podcasts?
Yes, you read that right. The streaming giant that changed how we watch TV now wants to change how we listen (and watch) podcasts, starting with a potential game-changer deal with iHeartMedia.
According to Bloomberg, Netflix is in talks to license iHeartMedia’s video podcasts, including The Breakfast Club, Las Culturistas, Jay Shetty Podcast, and Stuff You Should Know. If finalised, Netflix would become the exclusive home for these shows, meaning full episodes would no longer appear on YouTube, where millions currently tune in.
Emmanuel Umahi
The news sent iHeartMedia’s stock soaring, nearly doubling in extended trading to around $5.49. For iHeart, the deal could open new revenue and exposure opportunities. For Netflix, it’s likely a direct play against YouTube, the undisputed leader in podcast streaming, which now reports over 1 billion monthly viewers of podcast content.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because Netflix already made a similar move just last month when it struck a deal with Spotify to host select video podcasts, including The Bill Simmons Podcast, starting in 2026. Those shows will also leave YouTube, signaling that Netflix sees podcasts, especially video ones, as streaming’s next big frontier.
And it’s not a far-fetched bet. The global podcast industry, valued at $27.88 billion in 2024, is projected to skyrocket to $204.75 billion by 2033. Safe to say, Netflix wants a piece of that action, and given its reach, it just might get it.
But for fans used to watching free podcast clips on YouTube, the shift might sting. Soon, you may need a Netflix subscription to watch your favourite shows, or settle for audio-only versions elsewhere. Either way, the line between streaming and podcasting is fading fast, and Netflix wants to make sure it’s at the center of that blur.
Emmanuel Oyedeji
