SiriusXM has announced a new long-term agreement with the NBC Universal News Group under which the simulcasts of MSNBC and CNBC will continue to air on the network.
Under the new agreement, SiriusXM will also become the exclusive advertising representative and end-to-end ad tech platform for a broad slate of NBC News, MSNBC and CNBC podcasts.
TODAY Show Radio premiered on SiriusXM in 2014, providing listeners across the country with live audio feeds of TODAY from both coasts, offering people the news-making interviews and uplifting stories that help shape our national dialog.
Over the years the channel has continued to grow, now featuring exclusive weekly programs including The Hoda Show hosted by Hoda Kotb (Mondays from 1-2pm ET) and Off The Rails (Tuesdays from 1-2pm ET) with co-hosts Al Roker, Dylan Dreyer, and Sheinelle Jones.
In addition to live airings of TODAY, which recently announced its 63rd consecutive month as the top morning show in the key demo of adults 25-54, the channel also airs a simulcast of NBC Nightly News anchored by Lester Holt, the most trusted television news personality in America.
“We’re exceedingly proud to continue our relationship with the NBCUniversal News Group, whose shows and hosts are among the best in the industry,” said Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM’s President and Chief Content Officer.
“Over the years we’ve seen that relationship grow, with TODAY hosts creating their own SiriusXM programs and providing additional content exclusively for our listeners. And beyond TODAY, with breaking news on MSNBC and financial updates on CNBC, SiriusXM subscribers can take the trusted programming of NBCUniversal wherever they go.”
As part of the new agreement, NBCUniversal has appointed SiriusXM as the exclusive advertising representative for NBC News and MSNBC podcasts with additional sales rights to CNBC podcasts.
In addition, AdsWizz, a subsidiary of SiriusXM, will provide the end-to-end ad tech platform. This deal furthers SiriusXM’s vision to build a streamlined ad ecosystem that allows brands to access the largest pool of inventory from top publishers across all categories of digital audio – music, sports, talk, and podcasts.
SiriusXM and its premium audio properties such as Pandora, SoundCloud, and Stitcher, reaches more than 150 million people monthly.
“Audio and podcasts have become a significant way for audiences, and in particular younger audiences, to engage with our trusted journalism,” said Elisabeth Sami, NBCUniversal News Group’s Executive VP of Global Strategy and Business Development.
“We’re committed to growing our audio storytelling and reach, providing unique opportunities for advertisers across our news brands. This is a natural progression of our relationship with SiriusXM.”
“This agreement is a fantastic match between SiriusXM and Pandora’s industry-leading ability to monetize digital audio and NBCUniversal’s broad audience of passionate podcast listeners,” said John Trimble, Chief Advertising Revenue Officer of SiriusXM.
“Investments we’ve been making, including the acquisitions of Stitcher, Simplecast, and AdsWizz, solidify SiriusXM as a dominant player in the rapidly-growing podcast ad market and further position us to help solve some of the critical monetization and ad tech challenges publishers and advertisers are facing through a cohesive and premium audio marketplace.”
The NBCUniversal News Group has released several chart-topping and award-winning original podcasts into their portfolio of hits including Rachel Maddow’s Bag Man; The Oath with Chuck Rosenberg; Dateline’s The Thing About Pam and Motive for Murder; Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes; The Chuck Toddcast; Into America; Mad Money w/ Jim Cramer; Squawk Pod; and more.
The NBCUniversal News Group is a top 10 podcast publisher in the Podtrac monthly rankings.
TODAY Show Radio is available on channel 108, while simulcasts of MSNBC and CNBC air on channels 118 and 112, respectively.