iHeart Names Kurland EVP/Business Affairs
• iHeartMedia has named Jon Kurland as Executive Vice President of Business Affairs and Chief Entertainment Counsel.
In his new role, Kurland will lead iHeart’s Business Affairs team and focus on strategic deals and relationships with the company’s podcast, music, entertainment and new media partners. He will be responsible for business and legal affairs across the company’s divisions including multiplatform assets, digital audio and tentpole events. Kurland will also oversee the company’s entertainment legal functions across podcasts, live events, and new media initiatives as well as its music licensing strategy, including maintaining and renewing all music industry licenses for iHeartRadio’s digital services and performance licenses through PRO agencies.
Kurland joins iHeartMedia from Amazon, where he served as Senior Corporate Counsel in the Global Media & Entertainment group and primarily focused on podcasting, music licensing, original content initiatives and technology transactions for Amazon’s Audible. Prior to this, Kurland worked in private practice at entertainment firms Sloss Eckhouse and Carroll Guido & Groffman, where he represented recording artists including Dave Matthews, Pearl Jam, Tiesto, Nick Jonas and Demi Lovato, and filmmakers Justin Lin and Richard Linklater.
In his new position, Kurland will be based in New York City and report to Jordan Fasbender, iHeartMedia’s EVP & General Counsel, who said, “Jon’s vast experience and dealmaking skills in the audio industry will be incredibly valuable as we continue to innovate and expand our partnerships and opportunities that leverage and enhance iHeartMedia’s position as the leading audio company in the U.S.”
“iHeartMedia is uniquely positioned at the convergence of music, podcasting, live events, television and all manner of innovative digital media,” Kurland remarked. “I’m thrilled to leverage my legal and dealmaking expertise across a wide range of formats and platforms to unlock value for the company, while also empowering artists and creators and serving iHeartMedia’s millions of listeners.”
