For over thirty years, iHeartMedia has been a long-standing partner of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The corporate partnership in between the two companies is leveraged and executed at a community level.
Treatment and research discovered and implemented at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude doesn’t bill any family for the treatment they receive, making fundraising an important part of their mission.
Campaign objectives:
- Raise funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital using our iHeartMedia’s massive reach in the Country music demographic. Encourage fans and listeners to become Partners in Hope for the organizations by committing $20 monthly donations to St. Jude.
- Activate the community to donate by leveraging nationally syndicated on-air personality Bobby Bones and many other on-air local personalities
- Motivate and engage country fans to support St. Jude by leveraging iHeartMedia’s close relationships with the biggest stars in the Country music world. Use the power of celebrities for the greater good.
- Establish and reinforce iHeartMedia’s status in the corporate social responsibility space. iHeartMedia is dedicated to inform, inspire and support the communities in which it broadcasts.
For the past 30 years, iHeartMedia has partnered with St. Jude through various programs, and most recently through the Country Cares for St. Jude Radiothon to raise life-saving treatment funds. Some of the campaign strategies and resources included:
Fundraising
Every December, iHeartMedia’s syndicated nationally syndicated The Bobby Bones Show airs live the Country Cares for St. Jude Radiothon. Among stories from patients and their families, the radiothon also features a stellar lineup of country superstars including Brothers Osborne, Ashley McBryde, Air Force Academy Band, Riley Green and more, using the power of country music to encourage donations from their fans and iHeartMedia listeners. In 2023, the radiothon raised over $12.8 million with the help of 66 stations.
Bobby Bones – on-air personality
Bobby Bones is the Vice President, Creative Director of iHeartCountry, and has a “fiercely devoted following” (Washington Post) tuning in to his nationally syndicated radio show, The Bobby Bones Show, which broadcasts on over 200 stations and is the #1 Country morning show with millions of weekly listeners. For his work on the Bobby Bones show, Bones earned the title of youngest-ever inductee into the prestigious National Radio Hall of Fame. Among the many charities he supports, Bobby has been a long-standing partner for St. Jude raising over $24.5 million for the past nine years through radiothons as well as live performances with his band The Raging Idiots. In addition to being a driving force behind iHeartMedia fundraising efforts, Bobby takes time to visit the hospital in Memphis, TN where he brings joy to the patients and their families by performing with his comedy band, The Raging Idiots.
Power of Live Music and iHeart events, and Leveraging iHeartCountry
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was the exclusive charity partner for the 2024 iHeartCountry Festival in Austin Texas. The eleventh annual iHeartCountry Festival Presented by Capital One celebrated Country music’s hottest artists including Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Jelly Roll, Old Dominion, Lady A, Riley Green, Ashley McBryde, Brothers Osborne and Walker Hayes on May 4 at Moody Center in Austin, Texas. In addition, St. Jude patient Maelin-Kate was invited to attend the festival. Alongside Bobby Bones, Maelin-Kate hopped on stage to introduce Brothers Osborne band and to also encourage attendees to support St. Jude and become partners in hope by making monthly donations to the charity.
iHeartMedia is a powerhouse in the Country music space. iHeartCountry stations reach more than 100 million country listeners every month, making it the largest Country radio group in America. The iHeartCountry Festival Presented by Capital One is a part of iHeartMedia’s roster of nationally recognized events including the iHeartRadio Music Festival, iHeartRadio Music Awards and more. The Country Cares for St Jude Radiothon was supported by thousands of public service announcements aired nationally, social media and digital support.
iHeartMedia is a leader in fundraising for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
- In 2023, iHeartMedia stations raised over $12.8 million through radiothons to benefit St. Jude.
- iHeartMedia And The Music Community Have Helped Raise More Than $170 Million For St. Jude Kids And Families Since 1989
- Bobby Bones has been a long-standing partner for St. Jude raising over $24.5 million for the past nine years
