ABC Information is pivoting its audio podcast technique, specializing in true crime through its newsmagazine 20/20 because it plans its 2025 programming slate.
“True crime resonates, and the viewers simply appears to have an urge for food that is aware of no ends,” says Liz Alesse, vp of audio for ABC Information, in an interview.
The brand new packages embrace 20/20: The After Present, which shall be hosted by anchor Deborah Roberts. The present will function a complement to every week’s episode of the newsmagazine, taking listening behind the scenes of the tales featured.
It’s going to additionally embrace The Crime Scene Weekly, led by Brad Mielke, which can take a look at the tales within the true crime house that persons are speaking about every week.
And ABC Information will launch a rotating narrative collection based mostly on real-time information occasions, in addition to archival materials.
The primary version of that enterprise known as Dangerous Rap: The Case In opposition to Diddy, and shall be hosted by Brian Buckmire; The second version, known as What Occurred to Holly Bobo?, will come later this spring and have Eva Pilgrim exploring the 2011 disappearance of Holly Bobo.
Alesse says that ABC intends to roll out narrative content material on a steady foundation, mixing each of-the-moment and archive-based packages. The Sean “Diddy” Combs present, for instance, will provide twice-weekly updates as soon as his trial begins.
“We see two alternatives right here as a information group,” Alesse provides. “Our narrative method goes to be a wedding of zeitgeist, actual time true crime like Diddy, but additionally exploring tales which have already kind of come to a pure conclusion that exists inside our archive. In order a information group, we have now the chance to remain on the information, to be well timed, related, resonate and be one step forward on the tales that persons are presently speaking about, however we even have this wealthy archive the place we will introduce audiences to tales that may not be as entrance and middle to them.”
True crime has persistently been among the many hottest genres of podcasts, with each authentic collection (like Crime Junkie) and people based mostly on true crime TV programming (i.e. 20/20 and Dateline) all benefitting from the increase.
ABC Information, like its TV competitors, is betting that its present employees, archive and expertise can immediately broaden its footprint within the house.
“These are tales which are going to be very properly informed, and they’ll be informed with authenticity and belief on the forefront of how we do it,” Alesse says. “That coupled with our assets, as a result of we’re telling these tales and we’re reporting out these tales as a part of our mandate as a information group, as a result of we have now this archive, I believe it simply offers us a pure benefit within the house, and so we’re capable of give this this viewers with this voracious urge for food extra of what it needs in a accountable manner and inform these actually compelling tales and ship on that demand.”