Investigation Discovery alum Kevin Bennett has joined forces with independent true crime producer Scott Weinberger, of Weinberger Media, to form NYC-based Authentic Wave, a new multi-media podcast hub dedicated to true crime. The company will develop and produce premium true-crime and mystery series with unique audio and video components available for distribution on multiple platforms. Weinberger offers details on the venture, and “the new sweet spot” for advertisers.
What is Authentic Wave?
AW is a Multimedia podcast and vodcast production company focusing on shows that raise authentic voices. While the company will lean hard into the founders’ decades of successes in the crime and mystery space, we are excited about the development of other spaces which still maintain our core value. Authentic storytelling.
The podcasting world is very crowded, what are you doing that is different?
Creating projects that can cross over into other platforms and feed a growing interest for visual aspects to add to a rapidly expanding audience, which is leaving traditional linear platforms. The Podcast space brings the sweet spot of demos for advertisers, and we believe adding other platforms will rapidly expand that growth.
What kind of audiences are you hoping to reach with your projects?
For decades traditional broadcast and cable networks have enjoyed great success in the crime genre, especially with women 35-65 years old, along with incredible rates of retention. Podcasting is now seeing a similar boom; however, the demos are much younger, still women, but the average dips as young as 23-45. The NEW super sweet spot for advertising dollars.
What kind of organizations/companies are you trying to reach in the entertainment community?
We are already engaged in great discussions with potential distribution partners. We want to make sure our content has the best possible launch partners, be it creation, distribution, or monetization. Also, we are working with media companies who are interested in our reversion platform, which takes existing network IP, updating and re-releasing the shows for podcast consumption. We are also in discussions with production partners who have existing relationships with authentic talent.
How are you incorporating your experience in television into this new world?
Kevin Bennett our Co-Founder brings more than 25 years of experience from the Discovery Networks, greenlighting more than 5000 hours of programming. Having Kevin leading the charge on creating the implementation of the company’s dive into vodcasting and networking is a game changer for AW.
Where do you see this company in five years?
Leading an important shift in the media landscape, bringing new audiences in the emerging podcast and vodcast space, while maintaining a high production value and high level of profitability.
