Expands Distribution of PodcastOne Vodcasts to Roku, Pluto and Other Major Streaming TV Platforms
FAST Market Expected to Hit $10 Billion in Revenue by 2027
New Linear Channel to Include over 2350 Hours of Programming
LOS ANGELES, CA, June 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire – LiveOne (Nasdaq: LVO), an award-winning, creator-first music, entertainment, and technology platform, announced today the upcoming launch of PodcastOne TV, a new linear free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel this summer. In partnership with MuxIP, a leading provider of FAST and AVOD solutions, the channel will expand distribution of PodcastOne’s video content from its slate of award-winning podcasts, including The Adam Carolla Podcast, Nappy Boy Radio with T-Pain, and People’s Choice Award-nominated Off the Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe.
MuxIP's FASTHub for OTT platform will enable global streaming distribution of the PodcastOne TV channel across major platforms like Pluto, Amazon FreeVee, Roku, Samsung TV Plus, LG Channels and Tubi.
“With so many of our popular podcasts generating great video content, it made sense for us to launch a FAST channel to give the podcast fans even more access to our award-winning podcasters,” said PodcastOne President Kit Gray. He added, “With the FAST channel market growing so rapidly, we saw this as the perfect opportunity to expand our distribution network.”
“We have seen the podcast market accelerate in recent years, but its opportunity to supercharge channel adoption through FAST is something that we think PodcastOne can leverage to the hilt,” said Tom Link, founder and CEO of MuxIP. “The range of content, and the audiences that they command are ideally suited for FAST; our FASTHub platform was made for this kind of business expansion.”
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 MuxIP
MuxIP is a global leader in powering the rapidly growing TV business model centered on Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST). The company’s patented, cloud-based SaaS technology offers intuitive and powerful tools that allow content owners and media companies to create, monetize and distribute FAST linear channels on the leading distribution platforms. MuxIP’s patented solutions seamlessly automate every facet of ad-supported streaming by simplifying content preparation, channel scheduling, live event streaming and all of the core components of dynamic video advertising while enabling best-in-class monetization and distribution. Connect with MuxIP on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and at MuxIP.com.
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 April 11, 2023, the Company has accrued a paid and free ad-supported membership base of approximately 2.9 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, 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 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
ksmith@pcgadvisory.com