iHeart Ups Phillips To EVP/Country

• iHeartMedia’s National Programming Group has elevated Rod Phillips to the new position of Executive Vice President of Country Programming Strategy, effective immediately. He will continue to report to Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer for iHeartMedia, and Brad Hardin, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the iHeartMedia National Programming Group.

In his new role, Phillips will continue to lead the Nashville-based iHeartCountry team across multiple platforms, as he has since August 2015, while guiding and developing iHeartMedia’s roster of Country programmers and on-air talent. He will also book artists and produce events, including the iHeartCountry Music Festival and continue to head up iHeartCountry’s music discovery and emerging artist initiatives, including the Artist Integration Program and the On the Verge program. Under Phillips’ leadership, iHeartCountry recently launched Women of iHeartCountry, an hour-long, weekend program devoted exclusively to female artists. The show is executive produced by Bobby Bones hosted by Bones and Amy Brown.

“Rod has done an amazing job leading our iHeartCountry brand, which reaches millions of Country music fans across America each month,” said Poleman.  “He’s been the key force in our continued success in the format and our continued position as the largest and most well-respected Country broadcast network in the U.S. We’re excited that he’ll be taking an even larger role here to help further guide our Country programming in over 150 markets.”

Phillips commented, “As Country music continues to increase in popularity with audiences across America, iHeartMedia has more Country brands than ever before and our station ratings are on the rise. I couldn’t be more excited to continue to lead the iHeartCountry brand based here in Nashville.”