iHeartMedia has signed a multi-year partnership with the Government Communications Office of the State of Qatar to create “a thriving podcasting industry” in the Middle East and North Africa. The partnership will see the broadcaster develop a podcast studio in Qatar, accompanied by a lineup of original shows and the introduction of popular podcasts to Arabic-language audiences.

The initiative was announced live from Web Summit Qatar’s main stage by iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group CEO Conal Byrne, which also featured some of iHeart’s top podcast talents including Pushkin Industries founder and Revisionist History host Malcolm Gladwell, On Purpose host Jay Shetty, Stanford University neuroscientist and Inner Cosmos host David Eagleman, and TechStuff host Jonathan Strickland.

“It will also execute specialized masterclasses to nurture local talent and host global industry events, including Web Summit gatherings, positioning Qatar as a meeting point for the world’s top podcasting voices,” stated the announcement.

For iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman, “Podcasting has exploded in the US and is now a mass-reach medium. And iHeartMedia, with our expansive network as the No. 1 podcaster in America, is in a unique position to grow strong listenership around the globe. iHeartPodcasts features a massive catalog of original shows spanning every category and this new partnership creates an opportunity to work with a long roster of incredible creators and distribute even more content to new audiences in the Middle East.”