My Favorite Murder

What My Favorite Murder does

My Favorite Murder is a private digital media company founded in January 2016 by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, operating under the Exactly Right Media umbrella and headquartered in Los Angeles/Burbank, California. Its core product is a weekly true crime comedy podcast covering serial killers, cold cases, cults, survivor stories, and historical events, with 539+ main episodes and 495 minisodes released by July 2026. The company monetizes through four revenue streams: podcast advertising on distribution platforms (iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, RSS), the Fan Cult annual subscription on Supercast (ad-free audio/video, exclusive Mini Minisodes, $20 store credit, and early live show ticket access), branded merchandise sold through the Exactly Right Store, and book sales (notably 'Stay Sexy Don't Get Murdered' via St. Martin's Press). Distribution extends to Netflix for animated content (MFM Animated), and the brand is reinforced through live shows, tours, and a community-driven social presence.

The business is fundamentally a content IP company with a small operating footprint (11-50 employees) and no disclosed institutional funding. Go-to-market is product- and community-led: a free top-of-funnel podcast acquires listeners, a paid Fan Cult tier converts superfans with bundled benefits, and merchandise plus live events capture additional ARPU. Technology is limited to standard podcast production, a Squarespace-hosted website, and third-party platforms (Supercast for subscriptions, Exactly Right Store for commerce). The audience is horizontally segmented — true crime and comedy enthusiasts — with engagement driven by hometown story submissions and direct host interaction rather than algorithmic personalization.

Name

My Favorite Murder

Legal name

My Favorite Murder, Inc.

Website

https://myfavoritemurder.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

My Favorite Murder is a privately held true crime comedy podcast company founded in 2016 by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, serving global fans through weekly audio episodes, Netflix animated content, Fan Cult subscriptions, merchandise, and live shows.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Podcast Media

NAICS

Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (711510), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)

akta.pro primary industry

Podcast Networks & Multi-Show Publishers (MPACADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Audio Production & Podcasting (BPAFAIAE), Live Podcast Recordings (MPAGACAJ), Podcast Hosting & Enterprise Solutions (Private/Branded Podcasts) (MPACADAF)

Keywords

• True crime podcast
• Comedy podcast
• Podcast subscription
• Fan community
• Branded merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Podcast Advertising: The primary podcast show monetizes through advertising and sponsorships, reaching millions of listeners across platforms.
2. Fan Cult Subscription: Premium subscription membership offering exclusive ad-free audio and video content, Mini Minisode series, $20 store credit, and early access to live show tickets. Billed annually with auto-renew.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including apparel (crewnecks, t-shirts), mugs, posters, and collectibles through the Exactly Right Store.
4. Book Sales: Published book 'Stay Sexy Don't Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide' by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark sold through retailers like Bookshop.org.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

My Favorite Murder produces and distributes a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, releasing weekly full episodes, shorter "minisodes" featuring hometown stories, live show recordings, and animated video content. The company monetizes through podcast advertising, a paid Fan Cult membership offering ad-free exclusive content and early live show ticket access, branded merchandise sales via the Exactly Right Store, and a published book.

Product overview

My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast company operated by hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark under the Exactly Right Media umbrella. The core offering is the flagship podcast, supplemented by several sub-products including MFM Minisodes (shorter hometown story episodes), Rewind with Karen & Georgia (live show recordings), and MFM Animated content. The company operates Fan Cult, a premium subscription membership via Supercast providing ad-free content, exclusive Mini Minisodes, store credits, and early ticket access. Additional revenue streams include a published book and branded merchandise sold through the Exactly Right Store.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• My Favorite Murder Podcast A true crime comedy podcast where hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark share true crime stories, covering serial killers, cold cases, cults, survivor stories, and historical events. Episodes are released weekly with regular minisodes featuring hometown stories, Rewind live show recordings, and MFM Animated video content.
• Fan Cult Subscription Premium membership program offered via Supercast providing exclusive ad-free audio and video content from Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, including Mini Minisodes with additional hometown stories, a $20 credit to the MFM Store, and early access to live show tickets. Billed annually with auto-renew.
• Stay Sexy Don't Get Murdered (Book) A book authored by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark published by St. Martin's Press, serving as a definitive how-to guide. Distributed through retailers including Bookshop.org.
• Exactly Right Store Merchandise Branded merchandise including apparel such as crewnecks and t-shirts, mugs, posters, and collectibles sold through the Exactly Right Store e-commerce site.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• iHeartRadiocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2016iHeartRadio serves as the primary podcast distribution platform for My Favorite Murder, hosting all episode content and handling advertising monetization. The show is listed under 'A True Crime Comedy Podcast' on the iHeart network.
• NetflixcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetflix hosts MFM Animated video content, making the brand's animated content available to Netflix subscribers globally.
• SupercastcoreTechnology or IntegrationSupercast provides the Fan Cult membership platform infrastructure, enabling exclusive content delivery, subscription management, and community features for premium members.
• Exactly Right MediaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerExactly Right Media is the parent media company founded by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark that produces My Favorite Murder and other podcasts. The Exactly Right Store handles merchandise sales. This is the hosts' own production company.
• Amazon MusiccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon Music serves as a podcast distribution platform for My Favorite Murder, making episodes available to Amazon Music subscribers alongside iHeart.
• Native American Rights Fund (NARF)minorOthersFeatured as a sponsor/acknowledgment in episode #538, with a link to narf.org. This appears to be a content partnership or acknowledgment within the episode rather than a commercial arrangement.
• Matthew Shepard FoundationminorOthersMatthew Shepard Foundation is featured in episode content (Petaluma Owl reference in MFM Minisode 494), providing educational materials about hate crimes and the Matthew Shepard story.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• iHeartPodcasts: iHeart's podcast network is MFM's primary distributor and also publishes competing true crime and lifestyle shows; broadly comparable as the network/distributor layer that monetizes MFM itself.
• Wondery: Amazon-owned podcast network producing serialized true crime and scripted podcasts (Dr. Death, Dirty John); competes for the same true crime ad dollars at scale and offers a broad portfolio rather than a single show.

Direct peers

• Last Podcast on the Left: Long-running comedy-and-horror adjacent podcast covering serial killers, cults, and the paranormal with a multi-host banter-driven style that closely mirrors MFM's tone and structure.
• Crime Junkie (audiochuck): Audiochuck's Crime Junkie is a leading weekly true crime podcast hosted by Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat with the same host-driven, serialized format, community-led subscription layer (chuck+ on Supercast), and merchandise store as My Favorite Murder.
• And That's Why We Drink: True crime and paranormal comedy podcast with parallel-twin hosts, a Patreon/Supercast subscription layer, and live show tours — directly comparable to MFM on format, scale, and GTM.
• Casefile True Crime: Top-ranked Australian true crime podcast with a serialized case format and Patreon subscription; comparable in length, audience scale, and ad-driven monetization to My Favorite Murder.
• Morbid: Hosted by Ash Kelley and Alaina Urquhart, Morbid is a true crime/comedy podcast whose dual-host format, live tours, and merchandise operation overlap directly with My Favorite Murder's model.
• Sword and Scale: Long-running true crime podcast covering serial killers and cold cases in a serialized format; competes for the same listener hours and true-crime advertiser budgets.

Others

• Exactly Right Media: Parent network co-founded by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark that produces MFM and the broader podcast slate; relevant because it is the operating umbrella through which adjacent shows (e.g., Do You Need A Ride?, That's Messed Up) extend the same host brand.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MyFavMurder
• Facebookfacebook.com/myfavoritemurder
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/my-favorite-murder

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about My Favorite Murder