Crooked Media
Crooked Media is an independent progressive political podcast network founded in 2017 by former Obama administration staff, operating more than ten shows across news, politics, culture, and legal topics, monetized through advertising, a Friends of the Pod subscription, merchandise, and live events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Crooked Media does
Crooked Media is an independent, privately held progressive political media company founded in 2017 by four former Obama administration communications staff — Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Tommy Vietor, and Dan Pfeiffer. The company operates a podcast network of more than ten active shows spanning daily news (What A Day, 1,628 episodes), flagship political commentary (Pod Save America, 1,136 episodes), foreign policy (Pod Save the World), legal analysis (Strict Scrutiny), entertainment and culture (Keep It, Hysteria), international politics (Pod Save the UK), and civic engagement (Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams, Runaway Country with Alex Wagner). Distribution spans all major audio platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, YouTube, SiriusXM) and, since February 2026, linear television via MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) under a partnership expanded in June 2026 to replace MS NOW's weekend primetime programming with Crooked Media video podcasts.
The company's revenue model is multi-stream. The largest contributor is podcast advertising and sponsorships, sold across a broad advertiser base that includes Acorns, BetterHelp, Helix Sleep, SimpliSafe, Rocket Money, and ARMRA. A recurring subscription tier called Friends of the Pod (powered by Supercast) provides ad-free episodes and bonus content. Direct-to-consumer merchandise (apparel and a coffee line) is sold through a Shopify-powered store, and live events including Crooked Con (annual conference in Washington, DC, scheduled November 5-7, 2026) and touring live shows generate additional revenue and audience engagement. The company's technology stack is intentionally lightweight — standard podcast distribution, Shopify commerce, Supercast subscriptions, Substack newsletters, and Google Analytics — reflecting a content-business model rather than a technology-business model.
Crooked Media received an undisclosed investment from Soros Fund Management in October 2022, which included a board seat. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, employs 51-100 people, and has expanded geographically into the UK and Australia through localized shows and live events. Civic engagement initiatives including Vote Save America and the Crooked Media Reads book publishing imprint extend the brand beyond audio into community organizing and publishing.
Crooked Media firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Crooked Media
- Legal name
- Crooked Media, Inc.
- Website
- https://crooked.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Crooked Media is an independent progressive political podcast network founded in 2017 by former Obama administration staff, operating more than ten shows across news, politics, culture, and legal topics, monetized through advertising, a Friends of the Pod subscription, merchandise, and live events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Crooked Media industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Podcast Media Network
- NAICS
- Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Podcast Networks & Multi-Show Publishers (MPACADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style) (MPABADAB), Creator Tipping, Donations & Micro-Payments (MPACAFAB)
Keywords
Where Crooked Media is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Crooked Media business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Advertising/Sponsorships: Crooked Media generates revenue through advertising and sponsorship deals across its podcast network. The company has multiple sponsors including Acorns, ARMRA, BetterHelp, Helix Sleep, Rocket Money, SimpliSafe, and many others who advertise on various shows.
- Subscription (Friends of the Pod): Crooked Media offers a premium subscription service called 'Friends of the Pod' which provides ad-free episodes, bonus content, and exclusive material to subscribers.
- Merchandise Sales: The company operates an e-commerce store (store.crooked.com) selling merchandise including apparel, coffee products, and other branded items.
- Live Events: Crooked Media generates revenue through live events including Crooked Con, an annual conference held in Washington, DC featuring panels, speakers, and networking opportunities for their audience.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free tier with advertising-supported podcast content |
| Subscription | Monthly | Friends of the Pod premium subscription |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Crooked Media product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Crooked Media is an independent podcast network that produces and distributes progressive political, news, legal, cultural, and international podcasts (flagship: Pod Save America). The company monetizes its content through host-read advertising and sponsorships, a premium direct-to-consumer subscription called Friends of the Pod (delivered via Supercast), branded merchandise and coffee sold through the Crooked Store (Shopify-powered), live events such as Crooked Con, and a civic-engagement initiative called Vote Save America.
Product overview
Crooked Media operates as a podcast media network offering a portfolio of political, news, and entertainment podcasts alongside subscription services, live events, and e-commerce. The core product portfolio includes flagship political podcasts (Pod Save America, What A Day, Pod Save The World, Lovett or Leave It), specialized shows (Strict Scrutiny, Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams, Runaway Country with Alex Wagner), international programming (Pod Save the UK), and entertainment content (Keep It, Offline with Jon Favreau). The platform operates on a multi-tier model: free ad-supported podcasts supplemented by a premium subscription service (Friends of the Pod via Supercast) offering ad-free episodes and bonus content. The company extends its brand through live events (Crooked Con), a book platform (Crooked Media Reads), a civic engagement initiative (Vote Save America), and direct-to-consumer merchandise (Crooked Store, Crooked Coffee).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Pod Save America: Flagship political podcast hosted by former Obama administration staffers
- What A Day
- Offline with Jon Favreau
- Lovett or Leave It
- Pod Save The World
- Strict Scrutiny
- Keep It
- Runaway Country with Alex Wagner
- Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams
- Pod Save the UK
- Crooked Con
- Vote Save America
- Crooked Media Reads
- Friends of the Pod
Products and services
- Pod Save America Flagship weekly political podcast hosted by the four Crooked Media co-founders, providing in-depth analysis of U.S. politics and policy from a progressive perspective for a general listener audience.
- What A Day Daily news podcast providing analysis of current events with a progressive political perspective, aimed at listeners seeking a daily briefing on politics and policy.
- Pod Save The World Podcast focused on foreign policy and international affairs, providing progressive analysis of global politics and geopolitical developments for listeners interested in U.S. and world affairs.
- Lovett or Leave It Weekly political podcast with comedic elements, hosted by Jon Lovett, featuring analysis and banter on current political events for listeners seeking politics with entertainment.
- Strict Scrutiny Podcast dedicated to Supreme Court analysis and constitutional law, examining court decisions and their implications for politically engaged listeners.
- Keep It Podcast covering entertainment, pop culture, and media criticism from a progressive perspective, for listeners interested in culture with political and social commentary.
- Offline with Jon Favreau Podcast featuring in-depth conversations and discussions on politics, culture, and current events hosted by Jon Favreau, with a long-form interview format.
- Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams Podcast hosted by Stacey Abrams focused on civic engagement, voting rights, and democracy in America, aimed at listeners interested in political organizing.
- Runaway Country with Alex Wagner Political podcast hosted by Alex Wagner exploring American politics, elections, and the state of democracy in the United States.
- Pod Save the UK Weekly UK political podcast hosted by Nish Kumar and Coco Khan, covering British politics, policy, and current events with a progressive lens, produced with Intelligence Squared.
- Friends of the Pod Premium subscription service offering ad-free episodes, bonus content, and exclusive material to subscribers, billed monthly through the Supercast platform.
- Crooked Con Annual live event/convention bringing together Crooked Media hosts, personalities, and audiences for panels, discussions, and in-person engagement, with ticketed access.
- Crooked Store Direct-to-consumer e-commerce store selling branded merchandise, apparel, accessories, and coffee products, operated on the Shopify platform.
- Vote Save America Civic engagement and voter mobilization initiative focused on increasing progressive voter turnout and protecting democracy, including voter registration and get-out-the-vote programming.
- Crooked Media Reads Book publishing imprint and literary platform featuring articles, book pitches, and author features, extending the Crooked Media brand into written publishing.
Quantifiable outcome
- Crooked Media podcasts are among the most successful in the industry, with Pod Save America having produced over 1,100 episodes and maintaining strong audience engagement
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Crooked Media
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Crooked Media technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Crooked Media partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Versant Media (MS NOW parent)coreVersant Media, which backs MS NOW, expanded its partnership with Crooked Media in June 2026 as part of a broader weekend programming overhaul. The network is pivoting away from live weekend programming after 6 p.m. ET, replacing it with taped content including Crooked Media podcasts as it positions for a direct-to-consumer streaming service launch.
- AudioboomminorAudioboom, a podcast hosting and advertising platform, signed Crooked Media as a new tier one podcast client in early 2026. Crooked Media joined Audioboom's Showcase advertising marketplace, which drove significant revenue growth for the platform. The partnership contributed to Audioboom's record Q1 2026 results with revenue jumping 30% year-over-year.
- MS NOWcoreMS NOW (formerly MSNBC, now Versant Media-backed) signed a deal with Crooked Media in February 2026 to air podcast highlights from shows including Pod Save America on linear TV. The first episode premiered February 28, with Crooked Media hosts taping introductions and conclusions for each Saturday broadcast at 9 p.m. ET. This expanded in June 2026 as MS NOW replaced live weekend programming with taped video podcasts, further expanding the partnership.
- Intelligence SquaredminorIntelligence Squared is listed as the production partner for Pod Save the UK, producing the show for Crooked Media. This is a production partnership that enables the UK-specific content.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Crooked Media competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- iHeartPodcasts: Podcast division of iHeartMedia, distributing thousands of shows across news, politics, and culture. Comparable to Crooked Media as a multi-show podcast publisher monetized through advertising and live events, but embedded within a much larger broadcast-radio incumbent.
- NPR: National public radio network with one of the largest podcast catalogs (including politics, culture, and news). Comparable to Crooked Media as a politically oriented, podcast-rich audio network, but operates at much larger scale with nonprofit, member-supported economics.
- Wondery: Large podcast network and studio (Amazon-owned) producing narrative and interview-format shows including political-adjacent programming. Comparable to Crooked Media as a multi-show podcast publisher, but operates at significantly larger scale and within a broader Amazon-owned portfolio.
- Vox Media: Digital media holding company (Vox, The Verge, SB Nation, Vulture, etc.) producing podcasts, newsletters, and live events. Comparable to Crooked Media as a progressive-leaning, multi-format digital media brand with podcasts and events, but operating across multiple verticals at substantially larger scale.
Direct peers
- The Ringer: Founder-led (Bill Simmons) multi-show podcast network spanning sports, pop culture, and politics, distributed on Spotify and other platforms after its 2020 acquisition. Directly comparable to Crooked Media in show-portfolio breadth, host-driven identity, and digital-first distribution, though the editorial mix skews sports/culture rather than political news.
- PragerU: Conservative media nonprofit producing short videos and podcasts (including the 'Relatable' podcast). Comparable to Crooked Media as a politically niche, multi-format media brand with strong audience loyalty and adjacent merch/programming revenue, but positioned on the opposite ideological side.
- The Daily Wire: Conservative multi-format media company (Ben Shapiro, Jeremy Boreing, co-founders) producing podcasts, video, and original content. Closely comparable to Crooked Media in ideological-niche strategy, founder-led brand, podcast-led monetization, and expansion into adjacent media (events, kids content), but on the opposite end of the political spectrum.
- Gimlet Media: Narrative and news podcast studio (acquired by Spotify in 2019). Directly comparable to Crooked Media as a founder-driven, multi-show podcast network monetized through advertising and subscriptions, though now operating inside Spotify's broader audio strategy.
- Pushkin Industries: Premium podcast studio co-founded by Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Weisberg producing narrative, history, and ideas-driven shows. Comparable to Crooked Media as an independent, founder-led podcast studio that monetizes through advertising and premium content, with a similar scale and editorial depth.
Others
- Audioboom: Podcast hosting and advertising marketplace that signed Crooked Media as a tier-one client in early 2026 and credits the partnership with driving 30% YoY revenue growth in Q1 2026. Comparable as an ecosystem enabler (ad sales/distribution) rather than a content competitor, and a useful proxy for the podcast ad-tech ecosystem Crooked Media depends on.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Crooked Media social profiles
Digital presenceCrooked Media financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Crooked Media leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Crooked Media funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Crooked Media M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Crooked Media
What does Crooked Media do?
Crooked Media is an independent podcast network that produces and distributes progressive political, news, legal, cultural, and international podcasts (flagship: Pod Save America). The company monetizes its content through host-read advertising and sponsorships, a premium direct-to-consumer subscription called Friends of the Pod (delivered via Supercast), branded merchandise and coffee sold through the Crooked Store (Shopify-powered), live events such as Crooked Con, and a civic-engagement initiative called Vote Save America.
Is Crooked Media a public or private company?
Crooked Media is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Crooked Media founded?
Crooked Media was founded in 2017. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Crooked Media based?
Crooked Media is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Crooked Media make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Advertising/Sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are subscription (Friends of the Pod), merchandise Sales and live Events.
Who are Crooked Media's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are iHeartPodcasts, NPR, Wondery and Vox Media. Direct peers are The Ringer, PragerU, The Daily Wire, Gimlet Media and Pushkin Industries. Audioboom is listed as an others.
Does Crooked Media have an API?
No public API is recorded for Crooked Media.
What industry is Crooked Media in?
Crooked Media's product category is Podcast Media Network. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACADAB, Podcast Networks & Multi-Show Publishers, with a secondary code of MPABADAB, National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style). Its NAICS code is 51621 and its SIC code is 4832.