May 21 (Reuters) – Netflix will stream “The Breakfast Club” radio show on weekdays from June 1, deepening its partnership with iHeartMedia and making the program the streaming giant’s first daily live show.
The morning show, hosted by Charlamagne tha God, DJ Envy and Jess Hilarious, with guests such as former U.S. presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, will run simultaneously on Netflix and radio for nearly three hours, the companies said on Thursday.
The partnership expands Netflix’s push into live programming as streaming platforms seek cheaper, recurring formats to build daily viewing habits and extend established audio franchises into video.
“The Breakfast Club” was launched in 2010 and has since become a prominent show featuring celebrity interviews, pop culture news and commentary on hip-hop and R&B culture.
Former U.S. vice president Kamala Harris and musicians Kendrick Lamar and Alicia Keys are also among the guests who have appeared on the show.
The hosts also broadcast “Weekends with The Breakfast Club”, a three-hour weekly countdown of the top 20 chart songs.
The deal builds on an exclusive video podcast collaboration announced in December, part of a broader effort to adapt audio-first content to video platforms.
“It’s a big step forward in how we bring culturally defining audio-first franchises to life for Netflix audiences around the world, and we’re excited to deepen our partnership with iHeartMedia,” Lauren Smith, Netflix’s vice president of content licensing and programming strategy, said.
Netflix viewers will also receive an uninterrupted version of the program, with exclusive behind-the-scenes material, extended discussions and other bonus segments aired during radio commercial breaks.
The radio broadcast will continue on iHeartMedia’s Power 105.1 in New York and more than 100 stations as well as iHeartRadio app. iHeartMedia will retain the audio-only rights and distribution.
(Reporting by Anhata Rooprai in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore)
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