Audiochuck, the true crime and thriller media firm based by Ashley Flowers and residential to the #2 total podcast of 2024, introduced immediately a $40 million minority funding from TCG (The Chernin Group). Audiochuck will leverage its first-ever outdoors capital to scale the corporate and gas its subsequent section of development.
Based in 2017 by Ashley Flowers in Indianapolis, Audiochuck has established itself as a powerhouse in true crime and thriller storytelling and one of many largest podcasts networks within the business. Crime Junkie, Audiochuck’s flagship podcast hosted by Flowers, launched the corporate into prominence and stays a dominant drive, rating as Apple Podcasts’ #1true crime podcast and #2 total podcast of 2024 in addition to Edison Analysis’s #2 podcast.
Audiochuck signed a 3-year (2022-2024) cope with SiriusXM, which SiriusXM renewed in 2024 for a fourth yr (2025). Named Adweek’s Podcast Community of the Yr in 2023, Audiochuck has steadily expanded its podcast portfolio to over 20 weekly and seasonal exhibits — together with The Deck, Counter Clock, Park Predators, and Darkish Downeast — making it SiriusXS’s largest community throughout all genres.
“From launching Crime Junkie to rising our superb community of exhibits the unbelievable ardour of our followers for gripping tales that make a distinction has been on the coronary heart of all the pieces we do at Audiochuck,” mentioned Ashley Flowers. “With this funding from TCG, we’re excited to amplify our storytelling, develop our group, and convey much more modern tasks to life throughout an thrilling new section of development. All of this may permit us to have a fair greater influence on instances and social points we champion. The way forward for each Audiochuck and podcasting extra broadly is brighter than ever, and I can’t wait to see what we’ll accomplish collectively.”
“Ashley and the outstanding Audiochuck group have constructed a world-class firm and model on the forefront of the way forward for media,” mentioned Jesse Jacobs, Founding Companion at TCG. “The subsequent nice media companies are being constructed with personalities on the core and being constructed with personalities on the core and by distributing content material throughout podcasts, social, digital video and stay occasions. Ashley and Audiochuck verify all of the containers of what a profitable media firm will appear to be shifting ahead. And, we love that they do all of it from Indianapolis. Audiochuck has the complete assist of TCG and we’re honored to be their first and solely outdoors investor.”
The TCG funding comes amid an optimistic outlook for the podcasting business. The Interactive Promoting Bureau predicts a return to a double-digit income development, projecting a rise of 12% for 2024, with expectations to achieve almost $2.6 billion by 2026. The variety of true crime weekly listeners has reached 19 million, surpassing sports activities and information because the third largest class in podcasts.
With an viewers median age of 34 (considerably decrease than that of cable newspapers, and audio discuss radio), podcasters are incomes a extra numerous and more and more feminine set of listeners who’re spending extra time with podcasts. Whereas 84% of the U.S. inhabitants 13+ eat some type of true crime content material, girls are virtually twice as doubtless as males to often take heed to true crime podcasts. The medium can also be seeing an increase in momentum on the heels of its vital influence on the current U.S. election cycle.
TCG is a multi-stage funding agency that invests in corporations that outline tradition. TCG has a monitor file of profitable investments in creator-driven media manufacturers and rising media platforms, together with Barstool Sports activities (its first and solely investor), Hi there Sunshine (its first investor), Crunchyroll, Twitter, Night time Media, Basic Soccer Shorts, Exploding Kittens, Epic Gardening, Vuori, and Oura Ring.
