WTOP and PodcastOne Announce Return of “American Nightmare Series” Podcast
Award-winning podcast returns for 3rd Season October 2022 with host, Paul Wagner
Washington, D.C. (September 27, 2022) – WTOP News and PodcastOne announced today the return of their critically acclaimed and award-winning podcast, American Nightmare Series. Debuting October 4, 2022, American Nightmare Series: Unknown Subject focuses on a man who terrorized women across the D.C. area for nine years. It started with breaking into homes and raping his victims, then ended with the killing of a brilliant scientist near the gates of Georgetown University in 1998.
Before the FBI would name him the infamous Potomac River Rapist, detectives simply called him their “unknown subject”. A man whose DNA linked him to all of these crime scenes but whose name and face remained a mystery to police. For nearly three decades, detectives had no idea who he was until a bike cop named Smugs began connecting the dots and finally cracked the case.
Veteran D.C. crime reporter Paul Wagner is back to host season 3 of WTOP’s American Nightmare Series podcast.
“Paul has done it again. He is such a great storyteller. Listeners will be captivated from the first minute of episode 1,” said Julia Ziegler, WTOP’s Director of News & Programming.
In WTOP’s American Nightmare Series: Unknown Subject, Wagner speaks with David Hackos, the husband of murder victim Christine Mirzayan, the centerpiece of season 3. Wagner also delivers exclusive interviews with other victims and digs deep into the investigation by talking with two former homicide commanders. Listeners will also hear evidence that has never been made public before this podcast, including the pivotal police interview with the suspect.
Wagner notes, “The murder of Christine Mirzayan in 1998 has haunted me for years. I knew about the DNA link with a series of horrible rapes but investigators had gotten nowhere for years. So, when in 2019 police made an arrest I knew I had to tell the incredible story. How advances in science coupled with a curious cop with an unusual hobby finally tracked the suspect down. The Unknown Subject finally had a name.”
Episode 1 of WTOP’s American Nightmare Series: Unknown Subject will be available for download October 4, 2022, on PodcastOne, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and WTOP.com. The trailer for season 3 is available now on all platforms.
“We are proud to be able to bring another nail-biting season of American Nightmare to podcast listeners. Season 3 will be another intense story with jaw dropping details that cannot be heard elsewhere. WTOP and Paul Wagner have outdone themselves again and we cannot wait for true crime fans to dive into the mystery surrounding Unknown Subject, a case that haunted the DC area for decades,” said Kit Gray, President of PodcastOne.
Season 2 of WTOP’s American Nightmare Series:Murder in a Safe Place debuted in February of 2021. American Nightmare: Murder in a Safe Place, hosted by Paul Wagner, covered the brutal rape and murder of a 50-year-old nurse inside the hospital where she worked. Season 1, 22 Hours: An American Nightmare, was honored with a regional Edward R. Murrow Award,was ranked the #2 podcast of the year by The Associated Press, and was listed among Apple Podcasts’ Most Popular New Shows of 2019.
For interviews and inquiries, please contact Paul Wagner directly at paul@wtop.com.
About WTOP News
WTOP serves the Washington D.C. metro area 24/7 with top news, traffic and weather. WTOP can be heard on 103.5 FM, 107.7 FM and 103.9 FM. WTOP’s live stream and news content are also available on any device at WTOP.com, the WTOP app and on smart speakers like Alexa and Google Home. WTOP and its sister news operation, Federal News Network, are owned by Hubbard Radio, LLC. WTOP produces over a dozen podcasts including WTOP’s American Nightmare Series, Colors: A Dialogue on Race in America, The Week on the Hill and Target USA.
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 like Kaitlyn Bristowe, Steve Austin, Jordan Harbinger, Kail Lowry, Heather Dubrow, The LadyGang, Jay Cutler, Michael Irvin, Robert Horry and top-rated true crime shows including Bad Bad Thing, True Crime All the Time Unsolved, This is MONSTERS, Court Junkie, A&E’s Cold Case Files, 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 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 September 8, 2022, the Company has accrued a paid and free ad-supported membership base of 2.5 million**, 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 wholly-owned subsidiaries include Slacker Radio, React Presents, Gramophone Media, Palm Beach Records, Custom Personalization Solutions, LiveXLive, PPVOne and PodcastOne, which generates more than 2.48 billion downloads per year and 300+ episodes distributed per week across its stable of top-rated podcasts. LiveOne is available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and through OTT, STIRR, and XUMO. For more information, visit www.liveone.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, 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, distribution or transaction, including the proposed spin-out of PodcastOne or its pay-per-view business, the timing of the closing of such proposed event, including the risks that a condition to closing would not be satisfied within the expected timeframe or at all, or that the closing of any proposed financing, acquisition, spin-out, distribution or transaction will not occur or whether any such event will enhance shareholder value; PodcastOne’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, 2022, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on June 29, 2022, 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 obligations 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..
Press Contact:
For WTOP
Elly Rowe
erowe@wtop.com
For PodcastOne
310.246.4600
Susan@Guttmanpr.com
LiveOne IR Contact:
310.601.2500
ir@LiveOne.com
