Could IHeart Radio Start Charging Monthly Subscription fees?

[HenryOchs]

Hey guys!!!!! I'm wondering if IHeart Radio could soon begin charging Monthly subscription fees to it's users. I HOPE NOT!!!!!

 

[scanman1]

Probably not, but if they do start charging to use their app, I'm done with them.

 

[Kent]

Could it? Sure. Is it likely? I don't think so. iHeartRadio has been running its online-only and custom channels commercial free for over a year now. They're obviously operating it as a promotional tool for the Clear Channel stations and other events and platforms they have. Also, Clear Channel owns the Katz ad-agency and uses it to sell ads on iHeartRadio. It's built so heavily around the ad-supported model I can't see them changing it. Plus, with the royalty deals they're cutting, becoming a subscription-based service seems like it would defeat the whole purpose of what they're doing. I suppose it's possible they could do something like Pandora and charge for listening over a certain amount of hours, but I don't see it happening anytime soon.

 

[Casey]

The Terms of Service/ User Agreement have been worded to the extent that a possible subscription tier could be on the radar for some time. But I doubt this would happen in the near future and would probably apply only to custom stations.

 

[JohnnyElectron]

Clear Channel also wanted to charge for HD-2 channels on broadcast, and they can't get enough people to listen for free to consider a subscription service.
Pandora has "opened Pandora's box" by charging you to listen to commercials when you listen over 40 hours - no reason Clear Channel can't do that with iHeart, especially since they suckered Cumulus and others to join their little party.