PodcastOne Expands Comedy and Video Lineup Adding Some More News and Spin-Off Show Even More News, both hosted by Cody Johnston and Katy Stoll, as Part of the Proposed Acquisition of Certain Assets of Kast Media
Shows Have Over 750k YouTube Subscribers, Hosts Combined Social Media Tops 350k
Over 425 Episodes Produced to Date
All-time Consumption Exceeds 115 Million
LOS ANGELES, CA - (NewMediaWire) - July 12, 2023 - PodcastOne, a leading podcast platform and a subsidiary of LiveOne (NASDAQ: LVO), announced today that it has obtained the exclusive network distribution and advertising sales rights to Some More News and its spinoff podcast Even More News, hosted by Cody Johnston and Katy Stoll.
Hosted and created by writer, comedian, host, and musician Cody Johnston, Some More News, which debuted in 2018, is an always fair, always well-researched, but most importantly, always entertaining take on the topical news of the week. Every Wednesday, Some More News dives into the world's weekly events with a mix of wit, dread, hope and compassion. As the news cycle never stops spinning, Johnston returns on Fridays full of Even More News, this audio-only podcast also launched in 2018 and is co-hosted by actress and producer Katy Stoll. Stoll balances conversations with her own brand of thoughtful, empathetic analysis which listeners have come to know and love. Together, they present an informative and comedic spin on the frustrations with the week’s buzziest topics. Frequently, Stoll stops in to co-host Some More News and add a fresh perspective.
“With Some More News and Even More News, Cody and Katy host two intelligent, insightful and incredibly funny vodcasts. Their engaged audiences pair well with our existing programming and as we enter into a never-ending cycle of election year news we’re looking forward to Cody’s and Katy’s comedic take on what promises to be an endless flood of attention grabbing headlines. We couldn’t be more thrilled to work with this team to grow their shows and their advertiser audience,” said Kit Gray, President of PodcastOne.
Some More News and Even More News join a lineup of PodcastOne’s top charting news, comedy and society and culture genre programming including I’ve Had It, Off the Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe, LadyGang and The Jordan Harbinger Show. PodcastOne’s slate of programming can be heard on PodcastOne, Apple, Spotify, Amazon and wherever podcasts are heard.
About PodcastOne
PodcastOne is a leading advertiser-supported podcast company, offering a 360-degree solution for both content creators and advertisers, including content development, brand integration and distribution. Acquired by LiveOne (NASDAQ: LVO) in 2020, the two entities have subsequently teamed to create a new video podcast (Vodcast) network under the LiveOne umbrella. Amassing more than 2.48 billion downloads per year with 300+ episodes distributed per week across a stable of hundreds of top podcast programs, including influencer talent and television personalities such as Kaitlyn Bristowe, Steve Austin, Jordan Harbinger, Kail Lowry, Heather Dubrow, The LadyGang, Melissa Gorga, Teresa Guidice, Savannah Chrisley, and top-rated true crime shows including Bad Bad Thing, The Prosecutors, True Crime All the Time Unsolved, Court Junkie, A&E’s Cold Case Files and I Survived, American Nightmare and more. Its shows are distributed across its own platform as well as LiveOne's owned-and-operated channels on mobile, mobile web, desktop and SmartTV's. PodcastOne is the parent company of LaunchpadOne, an innovative self-serve platform developed to launch, host, distribute and monetize independent user-generated podcasts. PodcastOne is the brainchild of Radio Hall of Famer, Norm Pattiz, also the founder of Network Radio-giant, Westwood One.
About LiveOne, Inc.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, LiveOne, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVO) (the "Company") is an award-winning, creator-first, music, entertainment and technology platform focused on delivering premium experiences and content worldwide through memberships and live and virtual events. The Company's wholly-owned subsidiaries include Slacker Radio, a membership music streaming service, and PodcastOne, which generates more than 2.3 billion downloads per year, 350+ hours distributed weekly, and 14M+ monthly unique listeners. Nearly all new Tesla EVs sold in the U.S. come with a paid membership to LiveOne’s Slacker Radio (that now includes PodcastOne) which is paid by Tesla. As of June 26, 2023, the Company has accrued a paid and free ad-supported membership base of approximately 3.1 million*. The Company was awarded Best Live Moment by Digiday for its “Social Gloves” PPV Event, and has been a finalist for 8 more awards, including Best Live Event, Best Virtual Event, Best Overall Social Media Excellence, and Best Original Programming from Cynopsis and Digiday. As of February 9, 2023, the Company has streamed over 2,900 artists, has a library of 30 million songs, 600 curated radio stations, over 300 podcasts/vodcasts, hundreds of pay-per-views, personalized merchandise, released music-related NFTs, and created a valuable connection between fans, brands, and bands. The Company's other wholly-owned subsidiaries include PPVOne, Gramophone Media, Palm Beach Records, Custom Personalization Solutions, and LiveXLive, and the Company’s other majority-owned subsidiaries are Drumify and Splitmind. LiveOne is available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and through OTT, STIRR, and XUMO. For more information, visit liveone.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Twitter at @liveone.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are “forward-looking statements,” which may often, but not always, be identified by the use of such words as “may,” “might,” “will,” “will likely result,” “would,” “should,” “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “continue,” “target” or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including: the Company’s reliance on one key customer for a substantial percentage of its revenue; the Company’s ability to consummate any proposed financing, acquisition, spin-out, special dividend, merger, distribution or transaction, including the proposed special dividend and spin-out of PodcastOne (the “Spin-Out”) and the Company’s pay-per-view business and the proposed merger of Slacker with Roth CH Acquisition V Co. (the “Proposed Business Combination”), the timing of the consummation of any such proposed event, including the risks that a condition to the consummation of any such event would not be satisfied within the expected timeframe or at all, or that the consummation of any proposed financing, acquisition, spin-out, merger, special dividend, distribution or transaction will not occur or whether any such event will enhance shareholder value; PodcastOne’s or Slacker’s ability to list on a national exchange; the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern; the Company’s ability to attract, maintain and increase the number of its users and paid members; the Company identifying, acquiring, securing and developing content; the Company’s intent to repurchase shares of its common stock from time to time under its announced stock repurchase program and the timing, price, and quantity of repurchases, if any, under the program; the Company’s ability to maintain compliance with certain financial and other covenants; the Company successfully implementing its growth strategy, including relating to its technology platforms and applications; management’s relationships with industry stakeholders; the effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic; uncertain and unfavorable outcomes in legal proceedings; changes in economic conditions; competition; risks and uncertainties applicable to the businesses of the Company’s subsidiaries; and other risks, uncertainties and factors including, but not limited to, those described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on June 29, 2023, and in the Company’s other filings and submissions with the SEC. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company disclaims any obligation to update these statements, except as may be required by law. The Company intends that all forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
* Included in the total number of paid members for the reported periods are certain members which are the subject of a contractual dispute. LiveOne is currently not recognizing revenue related to these members.
No Offer or Solicitation
This communication does not constitute a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent, vote or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the Spin-Out or the Proposed Business Combination and shall not constitute an offer to sell or exchange, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or exchange any securities, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of any such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom.
Press Contacts:
For PodcastOne
310.246.4600
Susan@Guttmanpr.com
For LiveOne
LiveOne
press@liveone.com
LiveOne IR Contact:
Kirin Smith
PCG Advisory
(646) 823-8656
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