LOS ANGELES, March 3, 2025 — Premiere Networks and Rukus Avenue Radio, the world’s largest South Asian radio and podcast network, today announced a partnership to launch the popular podcast “The Bridge with Sammy Chand” into global syndication. Beginning March 31, 2025, the program will be available to international radio stations outside the U.S. as a weekday one-hour program.

South Asia represents the largest addressable market globally, with a population exceeding 1.5 billion people, and “The Bridge with Sammy Chand” is the only daily show covering the diaspora of the Indian subcontinent. Chand, Founder and CEO of Rukus Avenue, has been at the forefront of the South Asian cultural movement in North America for nearly three decades. As host of “The Bridge,” he shares his expertise and passion for South Asian music, and interviews some of the biggest names in the industry. From Bollywood and Hindi pop to Punjabi, Haryanvi and Hip Hop music, he explores the diverse sounds and styles of the Indian subcontinent, offering a connection to the latest developments in South Asian music and culture.

“This is truly a transformative moment for South Asian culture around the world,” said Chand. “‘The Bridge’ has been dedicated to uplifting and sharing the rich and diverse musical culture of our Indian subcontinent, and I can’t wait to engage our new audience and welcome them into our daily dialogue.”

“We’re excited to partner with Rukus Avenue Radio to offer ‘The Bridge’ to even more listeners around the globe,” said Tanya Juhasz, Premiere Networks Vice President of International Business Development. “Sammy has created a program that celebrates South Asian culture, and this partnership underscores our commitment to offering top-quality programming that connects with diverse audiences.” 

Chand’s Rukus Avenue Radio first partnered with iHeartMedia in January 2024 to make iHeartRadio the exclusive home for Rukus Avenue Radio. With programming ranging from Punjabi to Carnatic to the rise of South Asian Hip Hop music, to Bollywood culture and socially relevant discussions that help shape the evolving identity of the South Asians living abroad, Rukus Avenue Radio provides listeners the opportunity to hear weekly one-hour shows from hosts covering the hot topics that matter to the South Asian community around the world.

International radio stations interested in “The Bridge with Sammy Chand” can contact Tanya Juhasz at TJuhasz@premierenetworks.com or connect with her at Radiodays Europe 2025 from March 9-11 in Athens, Greece.
 

About Sammy Chand
Sammy Chand is a pioneering figure in the South Asian cultural movement in North America, shaping its narrative through music, radio, and storytelling. As the founder of Rukus Avenue, he has established an industry-leading platform, including Rukus Avenue Radio, the largest South Asian radio network, now part of iHeartRadio.

Chand hosts "The Bridge," a daily hit radio show airing globally on iHeartRadio and Rukus Avenue Radio. Rukus Avenue Music Group has partnered with India's legacy label, Saregama Music, to form a new music imprint that overlooks the largest catalog of Indian music outside of India. An Emmy-nominated composer and music producer, Chand’s work has featured in over 75 film and TV projects, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, So You Think You Can Dance, and Indian Matchmaking.

A leader in South Asian hip-hop, Chand started as the frontman of the influential group Karmacy and has produced groundbreaking projects, including a UN-backed charity album against Human Trafficking and a White House-endorsed anti-bullying album under President Obama.

Named one of the 10 most influential Indian figures in the U.S., Chand remains dedicated to bridging the Indian and American entertainment industries, working closely with top labels such as T-Series, Warner India, and Times Music. Based in Los Angeles with his wife and three children, Chand continues to lead Rukus Avenue Radio, the world’s only mainstream South Asian media network.

About Rukus Avenue Radio, Inc.
Founded in 2018, with a current listenership of over 10 Million listeners a month, Rukus Avenue Radio is the most listened-to South Asian radio and podcast network globally. With over 50 hosts recording weekly shows around the world, Rukus Avenue Radio generates over 200 hours of original content a month.

Rukus Avenue Radio is a subsidiary of Rukus Avenue Music Group. Founded in 1996 by Sammy Chand, Rukus Avenue is noted for spearheading India’s hip-hop movement and guiding the cross-country careers of some of the top Indian artists in North America and India, Rukus Avenue has been Hollywood’s go-to for all things India related. Twice Emmy nominated for their music supervision work, Rukus Avenue's music has been featured in over 75 film and TV shows (including “The Oprah Winfrey Show”, “Indian Matchmaking” and David Letterman’s “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction”).

Rukus Avenue assembled the largest collection of artists to ever come together for a charitable album, when they collaborated with the United Nations and their fight against human trafficking on a 60 track, 55 artist, triple CD compilation (featuring some of the world’s most famous musicians, activists, and dignitaries including President Jimmy Carter, Quincy Jones, and AR Rahman).

For more information visit www.rukusavenueradio.com or www.rukusavenue.com

About Premiere Networks
Premiere Networks, a subsidiary of iHeartMedia, syndicates more than 100 radio programs and services to more than 8,000 radio affiliations and reaches a quarter billion listeners monthly. Premiere offers the best in talk, entertainment and sports programming featuring the following personalities: Ryan Seacrest, Glenn Beck, Delilah, Steve Harvey, Clay Travis, Buck Sexton, George Noory, Dan Patrick, Colin Cowherd, Granger Smith, John Boy and Billy, Sean Hannity, Elvis Duran, Mario Lopez, Bobby Bones, Johnjay and Rich, Big Boy, Brooke & Jeffrey, Doug Gottlieb, Enrique Santos, Nancy Grace, and others. For more information, please visit www.PremiereNetworks.com.

 

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Media Contacts:

Rachel Nelson
Premiere Networks/iHeartMedia
rnelson@premierenetworks.com