Irie Jam Radio partners with iHeartRadio

New York, USA:

Irie Jam Radio has announced its new partnership with iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia’s free all-in-one digital music, live streaming radio and podcasting service. Irie Jam Radio’s new digital station, Carib Star Radio, will be available nationwide on the iHeartRadio app, starting in January 2024.

“With the integration of Carib Star Radio into the iHeartRadio app, the Caribbean music genre is set to reach new heights, capturing a wider audience while providing more bandwidth for advertisers to promote their brands and products,” a release said.

It revealed that Irie Jam Radio’s personalities, who until recently could be heard on its former home WVIP Radio, will be a major part of the new Carib Star Radio.

“By expanding its reach to a national level, Carib Star Radio aims to amplify the Caribbean music scene and bring the vibrant culture of the Caribbean to a diverse audience hailing from various corners of the United States. In addition to music, Carib Star Radio will showcase the eclectic Caribbean business, fashion, food, sports, politics, and lifestyle,” the press release continued.

Bobby Clarke, founder and CEO of Irie Jam Radio, a leading Caribbean radio station in New York for the past three decades, said that the partnership with iHeartRadio offered his company “a tremendous opportunity to expand our reach, allowing us to showcase the rich culture from the Caribbean to a wider audience”.

“Irie Jam Radio has always been dedicated to promoting Caribbean music and culture. We are excited to embark on this incredible journey and bring the heartbeat of the Caribbean to listeners across the nation,” Clarke said.

In July, it was reported that radio broadcasters on WVIP, listeners and Jamaican businesses who relied on the station to market and promote their products and services were reeling in shock by news that the entity has been sold.

The brokered radio station that boasted a concoction of Jamaican/Caribbean music and talk, was reportedly sold for US$8.15 million to Hope Media Group, owners of the Christian AC Way FM network and Spanish Christian Vida Unida network. Clarke, who station, Irie Jam had been broadcasting on WVIP was “alarmed about the sale”.

“This is sad news. This leaves a major void in the community. We are hoping that there might be a way to continue our services to our community here, but right now we are not sure,” he said at the time.

Bernie Weiss, region president of iHeartMedia New York, said that, with its more than three billion app downloads and more than 170 million registered users, his entity is the perfect vehicle to bring Caribbean music to a wider audience.

“We are excited to work with Bobby Clarke and the entire Irie Jam Radio team,” Weiss said.

The collaboration between Carib Star Radio and iHeartRadio is a testament to the growing popularity and influence of Caribbean music worldwide. As the genre continues to gain recognition, this partnership will not only expand the reach of Carib Star Radio but also serve as a platform for many businesses to advertise to a wider market.