Audacy and United Stations Media Networks have announced a content distribution partnership that will take effect on January 1, 2023.
The deal will start with United Stations offering Audacy’s “Katie & Company” national midday Country show and Ed Lover’s new nightly Classic Hip Hop “Ed Lover Experience” to stations beyond the company’s footprint. Other programs will follow.
Audacy (NYSE: AUD) and United Stations Media Networks (USMN), an independent leader in the creation and marketing of network radio programming and services, have entered into a new strategic alliance which will begin with a content distribution partnership. As part of the collaboration, Audacy will leverage the United Stations national distribution platform to expand its reach for its on-air content and talent beyond its own market footprint. United Stations serves 3,600 over-the-air affiliates nationwide.
United Stations will begin representing select Audacy content for affiliation, distribution and sales on January 1, 2023. Audacy will offer a variety of its best-in-class programming to broadcast affiliates throughout the United Stations including the following launch programs:
“Katie & Company” – Audacy’s national country talent Katie Neal broadcasts live daily from Nashville connecting with country listeners across the country and artists daily during her Superstar Power Hour. Recent guests have included Carrie Underwood, Sam Hunt and Luke Combs.
“The Ed Lover Experience” – From the start of his national (and worldwide) fame as the face of hip-hop on “Yo! MTV Raps,” Ed has been at the forefront of hip-hop culture for 30 years and will be bringing his incredible perspective, storytelling, and artist relationships to a new weekday throwback program launching in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle and Las Vegas this fall and available for syndication everywhere.
“We’re pleased to team up with United Stations to forge a stronger national distribution platform for our talent and content, while also positioning Audacy among the leaders of nationally syndicated audio programming,” said Bob Philips, President of Audacy Networks and Multi-Market Sales, Audacy.
“The power and the quality of both the radio stations and the on-air talent that Audacy brings to the table is unmatched, and the cooperation and interaction of our two respective teams will be tremendously potent,” said Nick Verbitsky, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, United Stations. “Our organizations share a very similar focus on excellence and results, and we’re looking forward to growing this alliance together.”
United Stations currently has programming and services available to radio stations in any and every imaginable format, and with 34 daily and 36 weekend properties in syndication, the company is well-established in the distribution, affiliation and advertising sales efforts and has the framework in place to take on Audacy programming and to turn them into national offerings.
