audiochuck

What audiochuck does

audiochuck is a private media company founded in 2017 by Ashley Flowers and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, that operates a network of more than 20 podcasts anchored by its flagship weekly true crime show, Crime Junkie. The portfolio spans investigative true crime (CounterClock, The Deck, Park Predators, Anatomy of Murder, Dark Downeast, THREE), limited investigative series (Strangeland, Dark Valley, Armored, Red Ball, Dark Arenas), and adjacent formats (Very Presidential, International Infamy, Full Body Chills, So Supernatural, OC Swingers, KILLED, Solvable, 13th Juror, It's a Wonderful Lie, Chameleon, Crime Junkie AF). Core technology is podcast production and distribution combined with a proprietary victim-centered storytelling framework; the company has begun expanding into video on Tubi under a multi-year exclusive distribution and advertising rights deal valued at $150M with Tubi Media Group (Fox Corporation). Ancillary products include the Crime Junkie Fan Club subscription app (ad-free episodes, exclusive content, early access), the Audiochuck Shop e-commerce merchandise store, the Season of Justice nonprofit, and two NYT bestselling novels by the founder.

The business model is multi-stream. Revenue is generated through podcast advertising — with ad sales increasingly handled by Red Seat Ventures and Tubi Media Group — recurring Fan Club subscriptions, merchandise sales, live events and touring, and the recently signed $150M Tubi Media Group licensing/distribution deal that monetizes video rights across Tubi and Fox streaming platforms (including a Crime Junkie FAST Channel). The go-to-market is primarily product-led/content-led: a flagship show drives listener acquisition and community engagement, which is then converted to paid subscriptions, merchandise, books, event tickets, and now video licensing. The customer base is bifurcated between a large, distributed B2C audience (true crime listeners, predominantly female, organized into a Crime Junkie Fan Club segment that has helped assist 152 cold cases and donate $8.5M to advocacy causes) and a smaller B2B base of enterprise advertisers plus a flagship distribution partner in Tubi/Fox. The company employs 51–100 people, is privately held, and is backed by The Chernin Group following a $40M investment in February 2025 that valued audiochuck at $250M.

Name

audiochuck

Legal name

Audio Chuck LLC

Website

https://audiochuck.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

audiochuck is a private Indianapolis-based media company founded by Ashley Flowers in 2017 that operates a network of 20+ podcasts led by the #1 US true crime show Crime Junkie, monetizing content via advertising, Fan Club subscriptions, merchandise, live events, and a $150M Tubi Media Group distribution deal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

True Crime Podcast Network

NAICS

Other Sound Recording Industries (512290), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

akta.pro primary industry

Audio Production & Podcasting (BPAFAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Podcast Distribution Directories & Listening Apps (MPACADAC), Live Podcast Recordings (MPAGACAJ)

Keywords

• True crime podcasts
• Investigative podcasts
• Podcast network
• Audio entertainment
• Digital media production

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Podcast Advertising: Audiochuck generates revenue through advertising sponsorships across its podcast network, with significant ad sales handled by Red Seat Ventures and Tubi Media Group for the streaming distribution.
2. Crime Junkie Fan Club Membership: Subscription-based membership offering exclusive content, ad-free episodes, and early access. Auto-renews monthly or annually at undisclosed price points.
3. Streaming Distribution Deal: Multi-year deal with Tubi Media Group valued at $150 million for exclusive distribution and advertising rights across Audiochuck's podcast portfolio.
4. Merchandise Sales: Audiochuck operates an e-commerce shop selling branded merchandise including apparel and accessories for podcast fans.
5. Live Events and Touring: Revenue generated from live podcast events, exclusive Fan Club experiences, and touring activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Audiochuck is an award-winning media company that produces, distributes, and monetizes a network of more than 20 true crime and investigative podcasts anchored by its flagship weekly show Crime Junkie. Beyond free ad-supported audio and video distribution across Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Tubi and Fox One, Audiochuck sells a premium Fan Club subscription, operates a branded merchandise e-commerce shop, hosts live events, and licenses its content library (most notably under a $150M multi-year exclusive deal with Tubi Media Group).

Product overview

Audiochuck is an award-winning podcast media company founded by Ashley Flowers in 2017, based in Indianapolis. The company operates a multi-product podcast network focused on true crime and investigative content, with its flagship show Crime Junkie as the #1 true crime podcast in the US. The portfolio consists of over 20 distinct podcast shows including Crime Junkie, The Deck, Park Predators, Dark Downeast, Anatomy of Murder, CounterClock, THREE, Chameleon, Dark Arenas, Strangeland, Dark Valley, So Supernatural, Full Body Chills, KILLED, OC Swingers, It's a Wonderful Lie, Solvable, Very Presidential, International Infamy, Armored, Red Ball, and 13th Juror. The company also operates the Crime Junkie Fan Club premium membership (ad-free access with exclusive content), the Audiochuck Shop merchandise store, and Season of Justice nonprofit. Audiochuck has expanded into video distribution through a $150M partnership with Tubi Media Group (Fox Corporation) for video-on-demand and FAST channel development, and has received a $40M investment from The Chernin Group valuing the company at $250M. Founder Ashley Flowers has also published two New York Times bestselling novels, All Good People Here and The Missing Half.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Crime Junkie: Weekly true crime podcast and the company's flagship show, hosted by Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat. The #1 true crime and #1 women's podcast in the US.
• Crime Junkie Fan Club
• Season of Justice
• Audiochuck Investigates

Products and services

• Crime Junkie (including Crime Junkie AF) Flagship weekly true crime podcast and Audiochuck's lead product, hosted by Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat. Covers solved and unsolved murders, missing persons, mysterious deaths, and infamous stories. The #1 true crime and #1 women's podcast in the US with over 500 million all-time streams on Spotify. Crime Junkie AF is the companion show exploring cases unfolding right now with special guests.
• The Deck (including The Deck Investigates) Weekly true crime podcast covering cold cases using the playing-card deck format, working with investigators and family members. The Deck Investigates deep dives on a cold case card per season with original reporting from the Audiochuck team (e.g., Darlene Hulse, Ada Haradine).
• Park Predators Investigative podcast hosted by Delia D'Ambra covering crimes that occur in national parks, forests, and natural lands, exploring how beautiful places can hide dark secrets.
• Dark Downeast Maine and New England's true crime podcast hosted by investigative journalist Kylie Low, covering unsolved homicides, undetermined deaths, unexplained disappearances, and other dark stories of New England.
• Anatomy of Murder Weekly true crime podcast examining homicide cases and paths to justice for victims, providing an insider's perspective with input from victim family members, prosecutors, and law enforcement directly involved in investigations.
• CounterClock Documentary-style investigative podcast hosted by Delia D'Ambra, currently in Season 8, reopening cases such as the Lane Bryant murders with new reporting and fresh investigation.
• THREE True crime podcast hosted by Amanda Knox covering wrongful convictions and legal injustices, with Season 2 focusing on the Dana Ireland case.
• Chameleon Weekly true crime podcast from veteran journalist Josh Dean diving deep into stories of deception, cons, frauds, and imposters; produced in partnership with Campside Media and added to the Audiochuck network in November 2025.
• Dark Arenas Investigative limited series hosted by Delia D'Ambra exploring professions that investigate dark crimes including international fugitives, child abductors, and espionage.
• Strangeland Investigative podcast hosted by Ben Adair and Cambodian-American podcaster Mayly Tao reinvestigating murders and cold cases, with Season 3 covering the murder of Haing Ngor in LA's Chinatown.
• Dark Valley Gripping investigative podcast covering the Connecticut River Valley Killer, an unidentified predator who stalked the borderlands of Vermont and New Hampshire in the 1980s.
• So Supernatural Podcast exploring the realm of true crime's most bizarre and surreal occurrences, looking at mysteries where the truth lies in the unknown.
• Full Body Chills Spooky storytelling podcast featuring bone-chilling tales and Halloween tradition content.
• KILLED Podcast hosted by Justine Harman revealing true stories behind reporting that was considered too dangerous or too fringe for mainstream media.
• OC Swingers True crime podcast investigating the sex crimes case of Dr. Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley in Orange County history.
• It's a Wonderful Lie Short-form comedy podcast imagining the hilarious 'truth' hidden behind holiday newsletters, hosted by Ashley Flowers, Holly Laurent, and Greg Hess.
• Solvable True crime podcast seeking answers to unsolved mysteries with cooperation from investigative agencies, speaking directly to past and current investigative personnel.
• Very Presidential Podcast hosted by Ashley Flowers uncovering disgraceful legacies, shocking corruption, and true crime in the Oval Office throughout American history.
• International Infamy Podcast hosted by Ashley Flowers navigating stories of notoriously high-profile crimes across 15 countries worldwide.
• Armored 10-part investigative series hosted by Jake Brennan diving deep into the most notorious armored truck robbery cases in North America.
• Red Ball Podcast hosted by Ashley Flowers investigating the 41-year-old cold case of the Burger Chef Murders and the disappearance of four employees.
• 13th Juror Podcast hosted by Brandi Churchwell breaking down controversial trials each week, examining how prosecution and defense spin the same evidence.
• Crime Junkie Fan Club (Membership Subscription) Premium monthly or annual subscription offering ad-free Crime Junkie episodes, early access, exclusive content, host round tables, bonus episodes, and access to Audiochuck's library of shows via the Fan Club mobile app.
• Audiochuck Shop (Merchandise) Proprietary e-commerce merchandise store offering Crime Junkie and Audiochuck branded apparel and accessories for podcast fans.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ million all-time streams on Spotify for Crime Junkie
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Campside MediacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 November 2025Partnership to add the Chameleon podcast to Audiochuck's network. New weekly episodes released starting November 13, 2025. Geoff Isenman, Campside Media CEO, emphasized the partnership to deepen audience engagement with the series.
• Tubi Media Group (Fox Corporation)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 October 2025Multi-year exclusive partnership valued at $150 million for distribution and advertising rights across Audiochuck's podcast portfolio. Includes video-on-demand distribution of Crime Junkie on Tubi's free ad-supported platform and development of a Crime Junkie FAST Channel on Fox streaming platforms.
• Red Seat VenturescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 October 2025Ad sales partner handling advertising across Audiochuck's programs in connection with the Tubi Media Group partnership. Red Seat Ventures serves as the ad sales representative for the multi-year content agreement.
• Season of JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit founded by Ashley Flowers dedicated to providing funding to help solve cold cases. Audiochuck has donated $8.5M through this organization and helped assist 152 cold cases.
• DNA Doe ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit organization focused on identifying unnamed deceased persons. Audiochuck funded DNA Doe Project which identified Pamela Buckley and James Freund as Sumter County Does.
• Black and Missing FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit organization dedicated to finding missing persons. Audiochuck partnered with the foundation and funded communications fellowships and scholarships.
• Daylight MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAd sales and distribution partner for former Audiochuck podcast hosts Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi and Scott Weinberger's new Homicide 360 podcast after their split from Audiochuck.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wondery: Amazon-owned podcast network with a heavy true crime focus (Dr. Death, Dirty John, Wondery Premium). Most direct comparable to Audiochuck in genre concentration, network size, and high-profile host-driven hit model.
• Exactly Right: Podcast network built around My Favorite Murder and Karen Kilgariff/Georgia Hardstark, focused on true crime and comedy. Directly comparable in category leadership, female-skewing audience, and host-driven brand.
• Tenderfoot TV: Independent true crime podcast studio (Up and Vanished, Atlanta Monster, In the Red Clay). Closely comparable in true crime specialization and premium documentary-style production approach.
• Pushkin Industries: Premium podcast network co-founded by Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Weisberg, producing high-profile narrative and investigative content. Comparable in premium content positioning, host-driven IP, and serialized storytelling.
• Parcast: Spotify-owned podcast network with a strong true crime catalog (Serial Killers, Cults, Crime Countdown). Directly comparable in true crime specialization and network-of-shows strategy.
• Lemonada Media: Independent podcast network focused on women-led storytelling and socially driven content. Comparable in female-skewing audience strategy, premium narrative podcasting, and D2C subscription/community monetization.

Broad incumbents

• iHeartPodcasts: Largest US podcast publisher and division of iHeartMedia, distributing thousands of shows across genres. Comparable as a major podcast network with advertising scale, though significantly broader and not true-crime specialized.
• SiriusXM: Audio entertainment broadcaster with significant podcast portfolio (Stitcher, SiriusXM originals) and audio advertising scale. Comparable as a counterparty in Audiochuck's distribution deals and as a broader audio incumbent.
• Spotify: Largest global podcast and audio streaming platform, which distributes Crime Junkie and is Audiochuck's primary audience channel. Also produces original podcasts through Spotify Studios, competing broadly for the same advertising dollars.
• The Ringer: Spotify-owned digital media and podcast network covering sports, pop culture, and true crime. Comparable as a multi-show podcast network owned by a streaming platform incumbent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@audiochuck
• Instagraminstagram.com/audiochuck/?hl=en
• Xx.com/audiochuck
• Facebookfacebook.com/audiochuckllc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/audiochuck

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about audiochuck