Infatuated by true crime stories? Happy holidays to you, and congrats on finding a community of fellow crime buffs. On December 18 we celebrate National Crime Junkie Day, a day that commemorates the conception of the idea and mission that would one day become the world’s most popular true crime podcast.
History Of National Crime Junkie Day
When Ashley Flowers couldn’t find a true crime podcast she liked, she created one in 2017. Crime Junkie was conceived as a medium to convey exceptional stories and make a mark on the true crime genre. Since then, we’ve been treated to brand new true crime, advocacy-focused episodes every Monday.
With her best friend and co-host Brit and her dog Chuck by her side, Ashley turned her vision for Crime Junkie into a movement. Crime Junkie is the most listened to true crime podcast in the world, with over 1 billion downloads in just 5 years. There are more than four hundred and fifty episodes to explore, all of which were created with the express purpose of turning the real crime world upside down, and they succeed admirably.
In addition, the influence has risen over the past five years thanks to all of the outstanding Crime Junkies. The Crime Junkies community has done a lot to help those in need, including raising the profile of underreported crimes, collecting hundreds of thousands of signatures on petitions, and donating to more than 100 charities.
Audiochuck is an award-winning independent media company known for its groundbreaking shows that motivate listeners to take action and make a difference with content like “Crime Junkie,” the company’s flagship podcast. In case you were wondering, Audiochuck was named after a popular cartoon. Chuck, Ashley’s loyal canine companion, is a hint. To that end, Audiochuck has been producing and curating number one episodes since 2017, amassing over a billion downloads, attracting listeners from all around the world, and turning advocacy into action through the medium of audio.
Activities On National Crime Junkie Day
Being a Crime Junkie and Audiochuck’s efforts revolve around advocacy. The organization, led by Ashley Flowers herself, is enthusiastic about making a positive impact through its platform. Audiochuck has collaborated with organizations all over the world to aid in the resolution of cold cases, the recovery of missing persons, the provision of DNA testing, the promotion of the interests of underrepresented groups, and other similar endeavors.
Let’s prove to the world that we’re true Crime Junkies. To commemorate, we often do the following:
- Express your solidarity with the cause
Give money and time to the issues you care about. Join forces with other “Crime Junkies” for the greater good. - Be generous with your time
What you’ve done is very effective. Invest your time in helping the true crime community by volunteering. - Make Yourself Heard
Help get the word out and rally the locals to action by spreading knowledge, understanding, and support. Increase the volume of under-heard opinions.
Crime Junkie Attracted Plagiarism Claims
As the podcast became the most popular true-crime show in the country (which, considering how popular true crime is, is no small accomplishment), the controversy surrounding it also grew. According to the host, the show was well-known for the extensive research put in by Flowers, which averaged about 30 hours per episode.
However, a journalist named Cathy Frye claimed that an episode on Kacie Woody was largely based on her four-part series about the murdered teenager in 2003. Flowers failed to attribute Frye as a source, despite the fact that the show was well-known for its extensive research (via Variety).
This triggered a wave of journalists and writers who thought that other episodes of the podcast likewise replicated their articles, often verbatim, and without any reference of sources. Some of these journalists and writers felt that the podcast was plagiarising their work.
Reddit users who realised that their own personal write-ups of cold cases and murders were being read on the show were the source of some of the complaints. Again, Flowers was not cited in any of the accounts that were read on the show. The episodes were withdrawn, and Flowers stated that “source material could no longer be identified,” but the show’s popularity did take a knock as a result of the claims: the podcast lost its position as the number one podcast shortly after the allegations were made.
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Final Words
Crime Junkie is a true crime podcast that is released every week to satisfy your need for the genre. Every Monday, Ashley Flowers will tell you about whatever criminal activity she has been fixated on throughout the previous week in a way that makes it seem as though you and your closest friends are having a conversation about it. The narration is basic and does not include any rabbit holes, which ensures that the cases maintain their excitement and are simple to understand. If you can’t get enough of real-life criminals… Congratulations, you’ve officially become a crime addict!
