KT Studios, iHeart Team Up To Bring Podcasting’s True Crime Genre To Radio Audiences.

Podcasters have led the way in true crime content, with many television producers seeing how popular the genre has become racing to put it on their screens. Now iHeartMedia and KT Studios are joining forces to produce a new two-hour night audio series that will air on broadcast radio stations across the U.S. and will also be available as an on-demand podcast.

The series “True Crime Tonight” expands on an existing partnership between iHeart and KT Studios, which has produced a slate of true-crime podcasts. The joint production is billed as a one-stop destination for all true crime audiences, featuring a mix of expert analysis, bold opinions, and listener call-ins.

“Even as podcasting has exploded as the newest mass-ready medium in the U.S., 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.”

Debuting June 1, “True Crime Tonight” will be hosted by KT Studios founder and CEO Stephanie Lydecker and Chief Creative Officer Courtney McKenna Armstrong alongside Baudi Moovan, an acclaimed crime analyst and star of Netflix’s “Don’t F*** with Cats” documentary.

“The idea of connecting live with audiences who are as passionate about the genre as we are is beyond exciting,” Lydecker said in the announcement. “I am proud to bring this show to life and continue to expand our partnership with the exceptional iHeart team.”

Airing five nights a week, “True Crime Tonight” will initially launch on more than 20 broadcast radio stations across the country Sunday through Thursday evenings live at 10pm local time beginning June 1. It will then be available on demand Monday through Friday.

“We’re always exploring new formats for broadcast radio,” 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.”

KT Studios, whose roots are in television production, first teamed up with iHeartMedia in 2020 to produce the hit true crime podcast The Piketon Massacre. That led to an expanded alliance in 2021, with the focus on true crime content with shows such as The Dougherty Gang, Crazy in Love and Death Island.

“True Crime Tonight” is also part of iHeartMedia’s continued “Podcast, Meet Broadcast” initiative that debuted in 2017. It utilizes the company’s unparalleled consumer reach to introduce the rapidly growing podcast sector to iHeart’s quarter-billion monthly broadcast radio listeners, while innovating in the podcast space. The initiative includes the successful “Sunday Night Podcast Series” that each week puts the most popular and highly anticipated podcasts from iHeart onto its radio airwaves.