Radio Ambulante

What Radio Ambulante does

Radio Ambulante Studios is a non-profit Spanish-language podcast production company founded in 2011, headquartered in New York with a regional base in Bogotá, Colombia. It produces rigorously reported narrative audio journalism focused on Latin America and Latino communities, distributed through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and the company's own website. The core technology is an audio journalism production and podcasting platform; the proprietary feature identified is the domain-specialized narrative audio journalism workflow that has produced 500+ episodes across 15 seasons, with cumulative downloads exceeding 70 million.

The product portfolio comprises the flagship Radio Ambulante podcast, the thematic series feed El hilo, the multi-episode series channel Central, and the interview-format podcast The Moment with Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos, supported by the Lupa language-learning app, the Deambulantes membership program, and the Clubes de Escucha (Listening Clubs) community program active in 140+ cities. The business model is a non-profit listener-supported structure: the bulk of funding comes from individual donations and recurring Deambulantes memberships, supplemented by foundation/grant-funded projects with partners such as Oxfam, the International Labour Organization, and the Pulitzer Center, and by a multi-show coproduction and distribution deal with iHeartMedia's My Cultura Podcast Network. Content is free to access; the organization explicitly positions itself as 'un medio sin ánimo de lucro' dependent on listener support, with no public pricing model and a stated fundraising target of 5,000 donors. The company employs 11-50 staff and is led by CEO Carolina Guerrero, with co-founder Daniel Alarcón as host and Camila Segura as editorial director; ownership and control rest with the founding team and management rather than institutional investors.

Name

Radio Ambulante

Legal name

Radio Ambulante Studios

Website

https://radioambulante.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Radio Ambulante Studios is a non-profit Spanish-language narrative podcast producer founded in 2011, producing long-form audio journalism about Latin America for global Spanish-speaking audiences, funded primarily by listener donations, memberships, and a coproduction deal with iHeartMedia's My Cultura network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Audio Journalism

NAICS

Sound Recording Studios (51224), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Podcast Networks & Studio Platforms (MPAIADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Audio Production & Podcasting (BPAFAIAE), Podcast Distribution Directories & Listening Apps (MPACADAC)

Keywords

• Narrative podcast production
• Spanish audio journalism
• Audio storytelling
• Podcast distribution network
• Nonprofit media organization

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership/Donations (Deambulantes): Non-profit model funded by listener donations and memberships through the 'Deambulantes' program. The organization explicitly states they are 'un medio sin ánimo de lucro' (non-profit media) and depends on listeners for sustainability.
2. Coproduction and Licensing Deals: Multi-show coproduction agreements with major media companies like iHeartMedia for content distribution and production partnerships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Radio Ambulante Studios produces and distributes Spanish-language narrative podcasts that tell in-depth, reported stories from Latin America and Latino communities. Its portfolio includes the flagship Radio Ambulante podcast (15 seasons, 500+ episodes) plus sub-brand shows El hilo, Central, and The Moment, with content delivered through major podcast platforms, YouTube, the iHeartMedia My Cultura network, and community listening clubs (Clubes de Escucha) in 140+ cities. The company also operates the Lupa mobile learning app, the Deambulantes membership program, and an e-commerce shop for branded merchandise.

Product overview

Radio Ambulante Studios operates a portfolio of Spanish-language narrative podcasts, with Radio Ambulante as the flagship product featuring long-form stories about Latin America and Latino communities. The portfolio includes El hilo (thematic special series), Central (multi-episode narrative series), and The Moment (interview podcast with Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos). Supporting products include Lupa (language learning app), Clubes de Escucha (community listening clubs in 140 cities), and Deambulantes (membership program). The company distributes through iHeartMedia's My Cultura network and major podcast platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• El hilo: Weekly podcast feed covering current events in Latin America
• Central
• The Moment
• Deambulantes
• Clubes de Escucha

Products and services

• Radio Ambulante (flagship podcast) The flagship Spanish-language narrative podcast that tells in-depth, reported stories from Latin America and Latino communities, organized into seasonal episodes with Spanish and English transcripts. Aimed at Spanish-speaking listeners interested in long-form audio journalism.
• El hilo A thematic podcast feed of Radio Ambulante Studios publishing special-series episodes exploring specific topics in depth, such as environmental issues and migration in Latin America. Targeted at Spanish-speaking listeners interested in deeper topical storytelling.
• Central The narrative podcast series channel of Radio Ambulante Studios producing multi-episode narrative series including La Ruta del Sol and Las Reinas de Queens, with stories about Latin American topics such as corruption, migration, and Latina trans communities.
• The Moment with Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos Interview podcast featuring multigenerational conversations between journalists Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos with politicians, artists, activists, and thinkers. Coproduced with iHeartMedia's My Cultura network and distributed on YouTube.
• Lupa Mobile application for intermediate Spanish learners that uses Radio Ambulante stories as Spanish-language learning material, with content offered at a discounted subscription rate (50% off) to Radio Ambulante listeners via the Jiveworld partnership.
• Deambulantes Listener-membership program that supports Radio Ambulante Studios' independent journalism through recurring subscriber contributions; members provide the financial backbone of the non-profit model.
• Radio Ambulante Studios Shop Online merchandise store selling Radio Ambulante-branded products (Tienda), providing an additional direct-to-listener revenue channel.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70+ million total downloads
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• iHeartMediacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Multi-show coproduction deal announced in 2024, expanding creative partnership. iHeartMedia distributes Radio Ambulante Studios content through its My Cultura Podcast Network, the largest podcast network dedicated to Latino voices. The partnership includes new podcast launches like 'The Moment with Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos'.
• OxfamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration since 2023 on projects addressing inequality and climate change impacts in Latin America. Oxfam co-organizes Clubes de Escucha events focused on climate displacement and environmental topics.
• Pulitzer CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting Club de Escucha events focused on climate crisis impacts, part of an initiative to generate conversations about climate change and structural responses.
• International Labour Organization (OIT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint organization of Clubes de Escucha on labor migration in Latin America. Produced 'Yo vine a trabajar' episode exploring female migrant workers' experiences. Events held in Lima, Bogotá, Buenos Aires, and virtual.
• Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos de ChileminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance for Clubes de Escucha cycle held March-June 2025 at the museum, focusing on Chilean history stories covered in Radio Ambulante episodes.
• JiveworldminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational app partnership offering 50% discount to Radio Ambulante listeners for learning English through podcast stories. Targeted at intermediate Spanish learners improving their English skills.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WNYC Studios: Public radio podcast studio producing narrative shows like Radiolab, On the Media, and Death, Sex & Money. Comparable in mission-driven narrative audio production, non-commercial sponsorship funding model, and high editorial standards.
• Latino USA: Long-form Latino-focused public radio program distributed by Futuro Media, covering Latino communities in the US through narrative journalism. Directly comparable to Radio Ambulante in audience focus (US Latino/Spanish-speaking) and narrative audio storytelling format.
• Futuro Media: Independent non-profit media organization founded by Maria Hinojosa, producing Latino-focused podcasts and radio programming including Latino USA. Directly comparable as a mission-driven Latino narrative media organization with public-radio distribution.
• This American Life: Flagship US narrative audio journalism program produced by WBEZ and distributed by PRX/Spotify. Comparable in narrative long-form journalism format, listener-supported funding model, and award-winning editorial brand, though English-language and broader US focus.

Broad incumbents

• Gimlet Media: Pioneering narrative podcast studio (acquired by Spotify in 2019) producing shows like Reply All and Heavyweight. Comparable in narrative podcast production model and editorial ambition, though commercially scaled and now embedded in Spotify's broader platform.
• Wondery: Major podcast studio owned by Amazon producing narrative-driven shows like Dr. Death and SmartLess. Comparable in narrative storytelling specialization but commercially funded and at significantly larger scale than Radio Ambulante.
• NPR: Major US public radio network producing news, narrative and cultural programming including podcasts like Planet Money and Hidden Brain. Comparable in public-interest narrative audio journalism and listener-supported funding model at much larger scale.
• iHeartMedia (My Cultura Podcast Network): Largest US radio broadcaster and largest podcast publisher, parent network of My Cultura Podcast Network which distributes Radio Ambulante Studios content. Comparable as a podcast-distribution and production counterparty, though vastly larger commercial enterprise.

Emerging players

• Podimo: Subscription-based podcast platform headquartered in Europe with strong presence in Spain and Latin America. Comparable as a Spanish-language podcast distribution ecosystem competing for the same listener base, though operating a paid subscription model rather than donor-funded.
• El Diario (elDiario.es): Spanish-language digital news outlet with strong narrative journalism and podcast extensions in Spanish. Comparable as a Spanish-language narrative journalism brand expanding into audio/podcast distribution, though primarily a written-news operation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/radioambulante
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheMomentRamosPod
• Facebookfacebook.com/radioambulante
• Instagraminstagram.com/radioambulante
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/radio-ambulante-studios

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Radio Ambulante