The audio landscape is undergoing a significant structural shift as traditional broadcasters successfully transition toward digital platforms. Audacy CEO Kelli Turner recently shared that digital revenue now accounts for approximately 30 percent of the company’s total revenue.
This milestone highlights the increasing importance of podcasting, streaming, and digital marketing solutions in sustaining legacy media organizations.
Speaking on the Local Marketing Trends podcast, Turner characterized the digital segment as a bright spot for the company, noting that it continues to grow nicely even as the broader radio industry navigates a period of transformation.
The Rise of Podcasting as a Revenue Driver
Podcasting has emerged as a central pillar of Audacy’s digital strategy. The company’s ability to leverage a massive local sales force—consisting of approximately 500 representatives nationwide—has provided a unique competitive advantage.
This infrastructure allows Audacy to connect podcast partners with local advertisers who may have previously focused solely on broadcast radio. According to Turner, these local sales efforts complement national advertising buys, which remain strong in the podcast space.
The growth of the Audacy podcast network is supported by a diverse portfolio of content, including the number one sports podcast network in the United States. By housing over 600 titles, the company attracts a wide range of listeners and provides advertisers with targeted opportunities to reach engaged niche audiences.
This scale is critical for competing in a market where daily spoken-word audio consumption is increasingly shifting from over-the-air radio to on-demand digital formats.
Strategic Pivot Toward Content-First Leadership
To support this growth, Audacy has implemented a significant reorganization of its internal structure. In early 2026, the company moved away from a market-based programming model to a format-led structure. T
his change centralizes leadership across core categories such as news, sports, and country music. Under this new configuration, brand managers report to centralized format heads rather than local market leaders, a move intended to share best practices and improve collaboration across different regions.
This content-first approach is designed to ensure that programming remains high-quality and consistent, regardless of the delivery platform. While the company is streamlining its management, Turner emphasized that local stations will retain their local focus and decision-making power.
For businesses and creators, this reorganization serves as a case study in how to scale a content operation by removing silos and focusing on specialized expertise.
The Future of Multi-Platform Audio
As digital revenue continues to climb toward a larger share of the total business, Audacy is looking ahead at how delivery platforms will evolve over the next decade. While audio remains the core focus, there is an expectation that the company will expand further into video and other interactive media.
The goal is to remain agile and future-facing by following the audience wherever they consume content, whether that is through a car radio, a smartphone app, or a smart speaker.
The financial health of the organization has also stabilized following a significant debt reduction process. With a cleaner balance sheet, Audacy is positioned to invest more heavily in its digital capabilities, including the Audacy+ streaming service and the Audacy Creator Lab.
These initiatives are essential for offsetting the natural declines in broadcast radio advertising and building a sustainable, multi-platform media business that serves both listeners and advertisers in the modern era.
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