Bob Pittman On AI, Podcasting And Why Trust Matters Most At iHeart.

As media companies navigate another wave of technological disruption, iHeartMedia Chairman/CEO Bob Pittman says the current moment feels familiar — and manageable — for an industry veteran who has lived through cable TV, the rise of the internet and the mass adoption of digital media.

Speaking with Borrell Associates Gordon Borrell, Pittman framed today’s AI-driven change as evolutionary rather than existential. “Every time you’re in a time of change, you think it’s unique,” he said on Borrell’s Local Marketing Trends Podcast. “But to me, it feels an awful lot like when cable TV came along… or the internet in the mid-90s.”

Pittman said that belief in audio’s underappreciated power is what drew him out of retirement nearly 15 years ago to lead iHeart. “I thought that audio, and particularly radio, was way underestimated,” he said. “People didn’t get it, didn’t understand the power of it.”

AI as Efficiency — Not On-Air Replacement

While iHeart has cited up to $150 million in annual savings enabled by technology, Pittman was quick to clarify that artificial intelligence won’t replace human voices on the air. The company recently rolled out a “Guaranteed Human” pledge, promising listeners that all on-air talent and music will be human-created.

“We’re not going to have AI masquerading as humans,” Pittman said. “We’re not going to play AI music masquerading as humans. The one thing we value more than anything else is trust — and you lose that, you’re dead.”

Instead, Pittman described AI and technology as efficiency tools that remove duplication, streamline operations and allow iHeart to focus resources on what matters most: talent and sales. “All the rest of us in the company are in service of those two things,” he said. “The people on the air and the people selling the ads.”

Digital Growth Offsets Radio Pressure

Borrell pointed to iHeart’s third-quarter performance, where a roughly 5% decline in broadcast radio revenue was more than offset by a 12% increase in digital sales, making iHeart the only major radio company showing net revenue growth year to date.

Pittman attributed that performance to iHeart’s national scale and diversified business. “We’re in a different business than all the other companies,” he said. “We spend a lot of time competing not with radio companies, but with other national media.”

He added that local radio remains foundational. “At the end of the day, the strength of the radio business is local markets,” Pittman said. “That power of having local relationships is incredibly important.”

Partnerships and the Push Into Programmatic

Recent partnerships with Netflix, Amazon and TikTok are central to iHeart’s next phase of growth. Pittman described the Amazon DSP relationship as “strictly about revenue,” with the long-term goal of fully integrating radio into programmatic buying platforms.

“The impediment is that buyers say, ‘I know radio works, but it’s hard to buy,’” Pittman said. “What’s important for us as an industry is to get on all the dashboards with all of our products.”

The TikTok partnership, meanwhile, is more audience-focused, built around iHeart’s scale, influencers and live events. “If we do some stuff together, this will be two plus two equals six,” Pittman said.

Podcasting: Radio’s Natural Extension

Podcasting now accounts for roughly 40% of iHeart’s digital revenue and continues to post strong growth. Pittman called podcasts “radio on demand,” noting that iHeart’s broadcast reach gives it a unique advantage in audience development.

“Everybody’s got a podcast — the challenge is getting an audience,” he said. “Because radio reaches about 90% of America, we can promote podcasts on the air.”

He also highlighted a key differentiator: local sales. “Fifty percent of the revenue of our podcasts comes from local market sales,” Pittman said. “That’s something no other podcaster has.”

What Keeps Pittman Up at Night

Despite iHeart’s momentum, Pittman said he remains intensely self-critical. “I worry about every decision we’ve made and every decision we’re going to make,” he said. “Self-doubt is very important.”

A self-described “data junkie,” Pittman said constant analysis and curiosity come with a cost. “Worrying is probably not great for my health,” he admitted. “But it’s really good trait for a businessperson.”

After a brief retirement years ago, Pittman said he slept better than ever — but knew exactly what he was signing up for when he returned. “I know the price I pay to do this job,” he said. “But I also know that worrying helps a lot.”