Content Evaluation and Rating System Powered by Machine Learning Will Provide
Advertisers and Brands With Objective Content Reliability Analytics and Safety Metrics
LOS ANGELES, CA, March 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire – PodcastOne, a leading podcast platform and a subsidiary of LiveOne (NASDAQ: LVO), announced today that it has reached an agreement with Seekr, a first-of-its-kind, AI-driven content scoring platform with applications for audio-based brands and advertisers. The partnership will enable PodcastOne to ensure brand suitability for its advertising partners. Seekr’s machine learning platform employs natural language processing (NLP) to rapidly evaluate and score content for safety and reliability.
“Seekr’s partnership with PodcastOne provides current and potential advertisers an extraordinarily high level of confidence and peace of mind that their ad-buys will be made in brand-suitable environments,” said Pat Condo, Chief Executive Officer of Seekr. “PodcastOne has been able to achieve remarkable growth – amassing nearly 2.5 billion downloads – in large part, because it is leading in innovation, and we’re excited to see AI technology supercharge those efforts. Seekr’s content evaluation and rating technology immediately positions PodcastOne as an industry leader in the adoption of advanced AI.”
Once fully implemented, the initial beneficiaries of Seekr’s technology will be existing PodcastOne business partners. The full spectrum of PodcastOne’s podcasts will be evaluated and rated instantly to help determine the most impactful places to drive brand visibility and be heard in the moment. Additionally, PodcastOne podcasts will have direct connectivity to Seekr.com, an independent search engine that rates content using AI, allowing PodcastOne listeners to leverage Seekr’s proprietary technology and patented search capabilities.
“Brands want security in knowing that their investment is being made with reliable, honest, truthful programming that aligns with their core values and intended audiences. With Seekr’s AI technology, we now offer media buyers an additional third-party option of trust that does not currently exist in the audio advertising marketplace. As we continue to be at the forefront of emerging technology within the audio space, aligning with Seekr puts us ahead of the pack for advertising clients who want the content reliability and for consumers who want to trusted, honest content which allows PodcastOne to remain a trusted network in audio for advertisers,” said Kit Gray, President of PodcastOne.
PodcastOne continues to develop and produce compelling and entertainment and current event based content to generate excitement and intrigue in the audio and streaming space. With podcasts being the fastest growing medium by far, PodcastOne is determined to remain a leader in expanding audiences and forging synergistic relationships for its podcasters. With select podcasts available in over one-million Tesla vehicles, PodcastOne’s full roster of programming is available on PodcastOne, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever podcasts are heard.
About Seekr Technologies Inc.
Seekr is a privately held artificial intelligence company that specializes in transparent content evaluation and objective ratings. Its AI technology is designed to rate all content, both authentic content created by humans, and synthetic, machine-generated content. Seekr empowers user choice and control by streamlining access to reliable information. The centerpiece of Seekr’s technology is an independent search engine that is powered by proprietary AI and employs natural language processing (NLP) to generate a Seekr Score and Political Lean Indicator. Seekr is committed to building a web that people can trust by giving everyone access to technology that makes it easy to find reliable content in context.
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 March 3, 2023, the Company has accrued a paid and free ad-supported membership base of approximately 2.85 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 React Presents, PPVOne, Gramophone Media, Palm Beach Records, Custom Personalization Solutions, and LiveXLive. 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, 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, distribution or transaction, including the proposed special dividend and spin-out of PodcastOne, Slacker or the Company’s pay-per-view business, the timing of the consummation of such proposed event, including the risks that a condition to consummation of such event would not be satisfied within the expected timeframe or at all, or that the consummation of any proposed financing, acquisition, spin-out, 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, 2022, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on June 29, 2022, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on February 14, 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 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 Contacts:
For PodcastOne
310.246.4600
Susan@Guttmanpr.com
For Seekr
Access www.seekr.com.
For press materials, visit www.seekr.com/press-center
LiveOne IR Contact:
(310) 601-2505
ir@LiveOne.com
