iHeartMedia is launching a radio/podcast product called True Crime Tonight, which will leverage the network’s vast array of U.S. radio stations and its position as a leading podcast publisher. Podcast production house KT Studios is partnering.
The plan will have each weekly episode debut on 20-plus radio stations across the country on Sunday evenings, 10pm local time. Then, the show will be available as a podcast starting the next day. This schedule will run five days a week, and is part of iHeart’s “Podcast, Meet Broadcast” initiative.
iHeartMedia and KT Studios will co-produce. The two-hour show will be led by Stephanie Lydecker, founder and CEO of KT Studios; Courtney McKenna Armstrong, producer and voice of KT Studios’ top-charting podcasts; and Baudi Moovan, a crime analyst and star of Netflix’s Don’t F*** with Cats documentary.
“We’re always exploring new formats for broadcast radio, and we’re thrilled to introduce True Crime Tonight,” said Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer for iHeartMedia. “Stephanie Lydecker and KT Studios are leaders in true crime podcasting, and when Stephanie and I discussed creating a radio format, she was immediately on board. The show will feature live caller interactions and real-time updates, ensuring it remains incredibly engaging and up to date.”
“The idea of connecting live with audiences who are as passionate about the genre as we are is beyond exciting,” said Stephanie Lydecker, founder and CEO of KT Studios. “Tom Poleman is a true visionary. I am proud to bring this show to life and continue to expand our partnership with the exceptional iHeart team.”
“Even as podcasting has exploded as the newest mass-ready medium in the United States, true crime has persisted as one of its most popular genres – and we wanted to bring that kind of storytelling to the world in a new way, with more interactivity and bigger audiences,” said Conal Byrne, CEO of iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group. “There are a few mediums that drive more conversation than podcasts, but one big challenge with the medium is that podcasts are not themselves interactive. Broadcast Radio – what we sometimes think of as the original social media – can add exactly this element, engaging people in the live conversation with a real-time, interactive component, taking the story to a new level.”
