YouTube strikes exclusive deal with SiriusXM Media to sell its audio-first ad inventory in the U.S.

YouTube has partnered exclusively with SiriusXM Media to sell its audio-first advertising inventory in the U.S., covering impressions generated when users listen to content on the platform rather than watching it, including background music streams, podcast playback, and talk-format content. The deal stems from YouTube approaching SiriusXM about a year ago with data showing the scale of audio listening behavior on the platform and concluding the expertise to monetize it wasn't in-house, with all inventory guaranteed impressions and advertisers required to purchase it through SiriusXM Media. For SiriusXM, whose core satellite radio subscription base has been shrinking for three consecutive years, the deal represents a bet that advertisers will spend from their audio budgets rather than video budgets, targeting a gap where audio accounts for roughly 30% of media consumption time but only around 4% of ad spend.