BMW Group Welcomes iHeartRadio into BMW and MINI Vehicles

BMW Group Welcomes iHeartRadio into BMW and MINI Vehicles

New York, NY – March 31, 2015 – 12:00 p.m. EDT/9:00 a.m. PDT - BMW Group today announced that iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia’s free all-in-one streaming music and live radio service, is now available to BMW and MINI drivers, providing easy access to their favorite Live and Custom iHeartRadio stations and podcasts directly from BMW ConnectedDrive and MINI Connected services. Demos of the iHeartRadio integration are available Wednesday, April 1 and Thursday, April 2 on the BMW Stand at the 2015 New York International Auto Show, inside the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.

All iHeartRadio users on iOS can now enjoy a seamless listening experience in BMW and MINI ready vehicles. Features include:

Access to thousands of iHeartRadio’s live radio stations from across the country and a catalog of more than 20 million songs and 800,000 artists to create custom stations.
A personalized “For You” feature with tailored recommendations based on listeners’ specific music preferences.
Access to saved Favorites, with the ability to add or remove stations.
Browse recent stations, including live and custom radio stations based on a song or artist.
The ability to Thumbs up/Thumbs down songs to create a more personalized experience.
Scan live radio stations to foster music discovery and search podcasts offering on-demand news, celebrity and entertainment talk show content.
An intuitive viewing experience on the in-car, high-resolution Control Display.
Comfortable and safe to use with the BMW iDrive Controller or MINI Controller.

Beginning today, when the iHeartRadio for Auto app is downloaded from the Apple App Store, it will be compatible with any BMW equipped with the BMW Apps option as well as MINI Connected ready vehicles.

App integration.
The iHeartRadio for Auto app has been specially certified by BMW for safe in-car use. The app uses the BMW Group’s A4A (Apps for Automotive) technology and can be downloaded for iOS-based devices from the Apple App Store. Having connected a smartphone to the car via the USB socket or snap-in adapter and launched the app, users are presented with various functions via the iDrive Controller/MINI Controller, the Control Display/MINI Centre Instrument and the car’s audio system. To use the app in BMW and MINI models, the BMW ConnectedDrive Services or MINI Connected option needs to be specified.

Smartphones and apps in your car.
With the aim of enabling safe and comfortable use of apps in cars, the BMW Group was an early driver of smartphone integration and has already certified numerous apps for access in BMW and MINI vehicles. These apps have been optimized for use during a journey, can be operated via the iDrive Controller or MINI Controller without distracting the driver, and are viewed in the Control Display or the MINI Centre Instrument, respectively.

BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975.  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.  The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country.  BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 and X3 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 and X4 Sports Activity Coupes.  The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 339 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 140 BMW motorcycle retailers, 121 MINI passenger car dealers, and 35 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at:  www.bmwgroupna.com.

Journalist note: Information about BMW Group and its products in the USA is available to journalists on-line at www.bmwusanews.com and www.press.bmwna.com.

About iHeartMedia, Inc.

iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) is the number one audio company in the United States, reaching nine out of 10 Americans every month. It consists of three business groups.

With its quarter of a billion monthly listeners, the iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group has a greater reach than any other media company in the U.S. Its leadership position in audio extends across multiple platforms, including more than 860 live broadcast stations in over 160 markets nationwide; its National Sales organization; and the company’s live and virtual events business. It also includes Premiere Networks, the industry’s largest Networks business, with its Total Traffic and Weather Network (TTWN); and BIN: Black Information Network, the first and only 24/7 national and local all news audio service for the Black community. iHeartMedia also leads the audio industry in analytics, targeting and attribution for its marketing partners with its SmartAudio suite of data targeting and attribution products using data from its massive consumer base.

The iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group includes the company’s fast-growing podcasting business -- iHeartMedia is the number one podcast publisher in downloads, unique listeners, revenue and earnings -- as well as its industry-leading iHeartRadio digital service, available across more than 500 platforms and 2,000 devices; the company’s digital sites, newsletters, digital services and programs; its digital advertising technology companies; and its audio industry-leading social media footprint.

The company’s Audio & Media Services reportable segment includes Katz Media Group, the nation’s largest media representation company, and RCS, the world's leading provider of broadcast and webcast software.

Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.