Armchair detectives, get excited ... because True Crime is coming to live radio in a new partnership between KT Studios and iHeartRadio in a new on-air format, "True Crime Tonight."
Led by KT Studios founder and CEO Stephanie Lydecker, producer and voice of KT Studios' top-charting podcasts Courtney McKenna Armstrong, and acclaimed crime analyst and star of Netflix's Don't F*** with Cats documentary Baudi Moovan, "True Crime Tonight" will serve as a one-stop destination for all true crime audiences.
"True Crime Tonight" will initially launch on Sunday, June 1st at 10pm local time, and air live five nights a week (Sunday through Thursday) and feature a mix of expert analysis, bold opinions and listener call-ins. The show will then be available on demand through iHeartPodcasts on the free iHeartRadio app, Monday through Friday.
"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."