Acclaimed Investigative Journalist M. William Phelps Announces New True Crime Podcast Slate with iHeartMedia

New weekly podcast “Crossing the Line with M. William Phelps” to kick off the new slate

Listen to the trailer HERE

NEW YORK -- October 6, 2021 -- iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, today announced a new slate of true-crime shows in collaboration with acclaimed investigative journalist and New York Times Bestselling Author M. William Phelps. This announcement follows Phelps’ and iHeartMedia’s chart topping podcast “Paper Ghosts,” their first venture together in the true-crime podcasting space. The new slate kicks off today with the debut of the weekly podcast “Crossing the line with M. William Phelps.” Listen to the official trailer now here.

“We are thrilled to team up with M. William Phelps again to produce a new slate of true crime podcasts,” said Will Pearson, Chief Operating Officer for the iHeartPodcast Network. “We’ve seen incredible success with ‘Paper Ghosts’ and it’s proven that M. William Phelps isn't afraid to ask the hard questions. The new shows on this slate will no doubt continue in that success – investigating unsolved crimes and sharing untold stories that will keep listeners tuning into each episode curious for more answers.”

“Crossing the Line with M. William Phelps” is a weekly podcast that will tackle important yet sometimes polarizing topics in the true crime space, as well as investigate rather unknown cold cases with the hopes of uncovering more information that could lead to closure. Joined by lifelong true crime aficionado and executive producer Cristina Everett (Paper Ghosts), the duo will interview experts, victims’ family members and detectives who worked the cases in an effort to unravel not only the intricacies of the crimes but the societal structures that make them possible – and often go unseen. “Crossing the Line with M. William Phelps” premieres October 12 and will run in 12-week installments, with new episodes available Tuesdays on iHeartRadio and all major platforms.

“‘Crossing the Line’ pulls together 20 years of work in true crime television and books- a confluence of access and being on the frontline of investigative journalism,” said Phelps. "You're going to hear the inside story of murder and missing cases from insiders -- including the killers themselves -- with the main focus on victims and their family's stories, including my own.”

The slate will also include season three of the largely successful podcast “Paper Ghosts,” launching late 2022, and will introduce a new narrative crime podcast centered around an infamous bank heist early next year. All of the podcasts from M. William Phelps and iHeartMedia will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network, which is home to more than 750 original podcasts with over 250 million downloads each month.

About M. William Phelps

Investigative journalist M. William Phelps is the New York Times best-selling true crime author of 45 nonfiction books and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Several of his books have been optioned for feature films. Phelps has written for numerous publications, including the Providence Journal, Connecticut Magazine and Hartford Courant. Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series “Dexter” and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television, including his former hit series on Investigation Discovery “Dark Minds,” which he also created and produced. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now lives just north of Hartford, in Tolland County. In July 2017, Phelpspublished his definitive, 7-year project with Happy Face Killer, DANGEROUS GROUND: My Friendship with a Serial Killer –a two-hour documentary special about the book debuts on Oxygen Network on October 10, 2021.

About iHeartMedia, Inc.

iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) is the number one audio company in the United States, reaching nine out of 10 Americans every month. It consists of three business groups.

With its quarter of a billion monthly listeners, the iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group has a greater reach than any other media company in the U.S. Its leadership position in audio extends across multiple platforms, including more than 860 live broadcast stations in over 160 markets nationwide; its National Sales organization; and the company’s live and virtual events business. It also includes Premiere Networks, the industry’s largest Networks business, with its Total Traffic and Weather Network (TTWN); and BIN: Black Information Network, the first and only 24/7 national and local all news audio service for the Black community. iHeartMedia also leads the audio industry in analytics, targeting and attribution for its marketing partners with its SmartAudio suite of data targeting and attribution products using data from its massive consumer base.

The iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group includes the company’s fast-growing podcasting business -- iHeartMedia is the number one podcast publisher in downloads, unique listeners, revenue and earnings -- as well as its industry-leading iHeartRadio digital service, available across more than 250 platforms and 2,000 devices; the company’s digital sites, newsletters, digital services and programs; its digital advertising technology companies; and its audio industry-leading social media footprint.

The company’s Audio & Media Services reportable segment includes Katz Media Group, the nation’s largest media representation company, and RCS, the world's leading provider of broadcast and webcast software.

Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.