NEW YORK (March 24, 2021) -- iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, and Will Packer Media, a first-of-its-kind production and branded content company led by record-breaking Hollywood producer Will Packer, today announced a partnership to bring a slate of original scripted and unscripted podcasts to the iHeartPodcast Network. The podcasts will focus on a variety of topics that will appeal to diverse audiences and attract new listeners to the iHeartMedia platform.

The new partnership builds on the success of the true crime podcast “Fight Night,” which launched on the iHeartMedia platform in October 2020 and was co-produced by Will Packer and James Lopez, President of Will Packer Productions. “Fight Night” examined one of Atlanta’s most infamous armed robberies from the night of Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 return to boxing.

All of the podcasts from Will Packer Media and iHeartMedia will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network, which is home to more than 750 original podcasts with over 253 million downloads each month. The first project is an urban drama scripted series centered in present-day Oakland, California. It is set to launch in the second quarter of 2021.

Will Packer Media was founded by Will Packer, one of Hollywood’s leading producers. The company has produced and/or developed a wide range of scripted programming for networks and streaming platforms such as OWN, ABC, Amazon, CBS, FX, Nickelodeon, NBC, BET, Lifetime and Fox.

“We are excited to partner with iHeartMedia to provide innovative and entertaining content to the fast-growing podcast space,” said Alix Baudin, President of Will Packer Media. “Bringing captivating audio stories to diverse audiences allows us to expand our focus across different media platforms.”

“Will Packer is one of the most groundbreaking storytellers working today and he and his team are exactly the kind of innovative partners we love to support long-term in the podcast medium,” said Conal Byrne, President of the iHeartPodcast Network. “He has such an incredible track record across film, television and digital media - and we cannot wait to see what sort of stories he creates for the more than 100MM Americans now listening to podcasts every month.”

About Will Packer Media

Led by Hollywood producer Will Packer, Will Packer Media is a first-of-its-kind production and branded content company focused on the New American Mainstream audience. In partnership with Discovery, Inc. and Universal Pictures, the company produces episodic scripted and unscripted series across television and digital platforms, compelling content for brand clients, and short-form digital content for millennial audiences. Will Packer’s films have earned more than $1 billion, with ten opening at number one at the box office.