PodcastOne & Empire Media Group Sign Multi-Year Partnership To Produce Slate Of Original Scripted & Non-Scripted Podcast & Vodcast Series

NEW YORK, July 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PodcastOne, a leading podcast platform and a subsidiary of LiveXLive Media (NASDAQ: LIVX) ("LiveXLive"), announced today that it has signed a multi-year year partnership with Empire Media Group ("EMG") and its Chairman and CEO Dylan Howard, the Webby Award-winning Executive Producer, Writer, and Director of podcasts Fatal Voyage: The Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood and Epstein: Devil in the Darkness, to produce a slate of original scripted and non-scripted podcast and vodcast series. 

The deal will include EMG developing multiple projects including at least six limited series and eight weekly shows. Several programs are currently in production and will debut in the coming weeks.

Series greenlights include:

• The Firm: Blood, Lies & Royal Succession, a multi-part historical non-scripted drama that will take listeners behind the British royal family's gilded gates and imposing palace façades into the very heart of the most famous family, The House of Windsor, to expose the scandals and dramas in the richest bloodlines in the world.
• A second investigative podcast will focus on the Church of Scientology. Evoking the drama and tension of a true crime thriller, this unprecedented and extensive new 12-part limited series audio investigation will break new ground on the controversial religion and the whereabouts of its high priestess, who vanished 14 years ago, will be hosted and reported by famed investigator Tony Ortega.
• My Favorite Scandal, a weekly series where nothing is NSFW when you work at one of the nation's leading tabloid magazines. Over decades covering the scandals and sins of the A-list, this crew has seen it all – and written about it. But so often, the most fascinating stories never made it to the printed page. Like that time when one of us hopped on stage at a West Virginia strip club to get the story of a celebrity's secret surrogate. Or, that time when Charlie Sheen peed in a cup for a drug test on film. (For tabloid journos, that's #winning.) Now, for the first time, hear the true stories behind some of the world's biggest scandals – stories even more jaw-dropping than those scandals themselves – as the tabloid world's most famous and feared veterans finally tell all.
• In You're Fired, a weekly series, find out what really happens when the axe falls in the media, Hollywood, politics, television, or off-stage? Some of the biggest names in America reveal the remarkable true tales of how they discovered they were getting the heave-ho, when the guillotine dropped, how they took the news and how they bounced back.

Further programming and series hosts will be announced at a later date.

"Partnering with the incredible team at PodcastOne highlights the influence of our investigative reporting on the topics of Hollywood, entertainment, true crime, current affairs, and unsolved mysteries. We are delighted to bring decades of experience in storytelling to life with trusted reporting and innovative, fresh new programming concepts," said Dylan Howard, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of EMG. "This dynamic partnership will directly leverage the world-class reporting of our titles — including RadarOnline.com™, OKmagazine.com™, Front Page Detectives™ and The Royal Observer™ — as well as our world-class editors and journalists to create the most authoritative programming in each category."

Howard — described by The Hollywood Reporter as "an iTunes phenomenon" — was the Executive Producer of Fatal Voyage: The Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood, which has racked up more than 10 million downloads and 50 million media impressions worldwide. That series was one of Apple Podcasts' Most Downloaded New Shows of 2018 and was named a 2019 Webby Best Series honoree by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Dr. Phil McGraw said, "You don't want to let the sun set before you start listening to this because it is intriguing." Meanwhile, Rolling Stone called it "a dramatic whodunit."

Kit Gray, President of PodcastOne, added, "PodcastOne is thrilled to build our relationship with the Empire Media Group team on their upcoming podcasts. Dylan Howard and Melissa Cronin have a proven track record of success in the space, and we are proud to join forces on their exciting new slate of shows. The chance to create new consumer experiences together with some of the world's most admired brands is a tremendous opportunity. We're very proud to embark on this exciting venture with our new partner." 

PodcastOne's slate of programming includes some of the most-listened-to podcasts of the moment, with more than 2.25 billion downloads annually, including The Adam Carolla Show, Off the Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe, The Jordan Harbinger Show and The LADYGANG, as well as top rated true crime programming including A&E's Cold Case, REELZ TV's Autopsy, Court Junkie, First Degree, American Nightmare and Bad Bad Thing from the creator of the hit Netflix show Evil Genius. PodcastOnes is celebrating its one year anniversary with LiveXLive. Total social media of all PodcastOne talent is now over 280 million. PodcastOne content is available on PodcastOne, Apple, Spotify, Facebook and wherever podcasts are heard.

According to a study released earlier this year by Edison Research approximately 80 million Americans – 28% of the U.S. 12+ population – are now weekly podcast listeners. This represents a 17% increase over 2020. In addition, the overall monthly podcast listening audience is now more diverse than ever: 57% of monthly podcast listeners are white; 16%, Latino; 13%, African American; 4%, Asian; and 10% of other backgrounds. 62% of the U.S. 12+ population, around 176 million people, are now weekly online audio listeners – an all-time high for this category.

About PodcastOne
PodcastOne is a leading advertiser-supported podcast company, offering a 360-degree solution for both content creators and advertisers, including content development, brand integration and distribution.  Acquired by LiveXLive Media in 2020, the two entities have subsequently teamed to create a new video podcast (Vodcast) network under the LiveXLive umbrella.  Amassing more than 2.25 billion downloads per year with 400+ episodes distributed per week across a stable of hundreds of top podcast programs, including influencer talent like Adam Carolla, Kaitlyn Bristowe, Steve Austin, Armando "Pitbull" Perez, Jordan Harbinger, Heather Dubrow, The LadyGang, Dr. Drew, Brett Favre, Eric Bolling, Robert Horry, Michael Cohen and top rated true crime shows including Court Junkie, A&E's Cold Case Files, American Nightmare, First Degree and more. Its shows are distributed across its own platform as well as LiveXLive's owned-and-operated channels on mobile, mobile web, desktop and SmartTV's.  PodcastOne is the brainchild of Radio Hall of Famer, Norm Pattiz, also the founder of Network Radio-giant, Westwood One.

About Empire Media Group
Empire Media Group, Inc. (EMG) is the new media landscape, where bold and authoritative content meets innovative delivery for passionate audiences. An award-winning, global, and next-generation multi-platform media company, EMG encompasses a powerful portfolio of assets that serve highly engaged audiences through a rich assemblage of content delivery mechanisms: from magazines, live events, and digital media, to video, television, audio, book publishing, and more. EMG's suite of 12 vaunted brands makes it one of the world's largest and most diversified modern media conglomerates, with market share across entertainment, fashion and beauty, luxury, travel, and specialist consumer titles. At EMG, we do not just serve readers; we serve users. Divisions of EMG include television and movie production company Mystify Studios, podcast studio Audology, literary publisher Harland & Wolff Publishing, marketing firm Elevate Strategic, EMG Ventures, and the non-profit foundation, the Institute for Healthy Media Minds, which is focused on creating a positive culture of mental health across the journalism, media, and public relations industries. With these six distinct business units united under a mandate of preeminence in content quality and innovation, EMG is a 360-degree media business that is poised for the future — broadening the reach of storytelling into virtual and augmented reality, programming, e-commerce, immersive events, branded content, innovative advertising solutions, and beyond.

About LiveXLive Media
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, LiveXLive Media, Inc. (NASDAQ: LIVX) (the "Company") (pronounced Live "by ''Live) is a global talent-first, interactive music, sports, and entertainment subscription platform delivering premium content and livestreams from the world's top artists. The Company has streamed over 1,800 artists since January 2020, a library featuring close to 30 million songs, 500 expertly curated radio stations, 235 podcasts/vodcasts, hundreds of pay-per-views, personalized merchandise, an NFT business, and has created a valuable connection between brands, fans, and bands. LiveXLive Media's other major wholly-owned subsidiaries are LiveXLive, Slacker Radio, React Presents, Custom Personalization Solutions, and PodcastOne, which generates more than 2.27 billion downloads per year, 300+ episodes distributed per week across a stable of hundreds of top podcasts. The combination of acquisitions and the expansion of products and franchises have secured LiveXLive as a top-rated music, entertainment and media services company. LiveXLive is available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire, and through OTT, STIRR, Sling, and XUMO, in addition to its app, online website, and social channels. For more information, visit www.livexlive.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter at @livexlive.

Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are "forward-looking statements," which may often, but not always, be identified by the use of such words as "may," "might," "will," "will likely result," "would," "should," "estimate," "plan," "project," "forecast," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "seek," "continue," "target" or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including: the Company's reliance on one key customer for a substantial percentage of its revenue; the Company's ability to consummate any proposed financing, acquisition or transaction, the timing of the closing of such proposed event, including the risks that a condition to closing would not be satisfied within the expected timeframe or at all, or that the closing of any proposed financing, acquisition or transaction will not occur or whether any such event will enhance shareholder value; the Company's ability to continue as a going concern; the Company's ability to attract, maintain and increase the number of its users and paid subscribers; the Company identifying, acquiring, securing and developing content; the Company's intent to repurchase shares of its common stock from time to time under its announced stock repurchase program and the timing, price, and quantity of repurchases, if any, under the program; the Company's ability to maintain compliance with certain financial and other covenants; the Company successfully implementing its growth strategy, including relating to its technology platforms and applications; management's relationships with industry stakeholders; the effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic; changes in economic conditions; competition; risks and uncertainties applicable to the businesses of the Company's subsidiaries; and other risks, uncertainties and factors including, but not limited to, those described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on June 26, 2020, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on February 16, 2021, and in the Company's other filings and submissions with the SEC. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company disclaims any obligations to update these statements, except as may be required by law. The Company intends that all forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Press Contacts:
For PodcastOne:
310.246.4600
[email protected]

For LiveXLive:
(310) 601-2505
[email protected]

For EMG:
Betsy Jones
[email protected]

SOURCE LiveXLive Media, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.livexlive.com