iHeartMedia and Oscar-nominated Filmmaker Michael Epstein Launch “Fault Line: Haditha,” a Weekly Limited-Series True Crime Podcast That Re-Examines One of the Most Controversial Incidents of the Iraq War

iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher according to Podtrac, and the Oscar-nominated filmmaker Michael Epstein announced the launch of “Fault Line: Haditha,” a 13-episode investigative podcast and companion documentary series that re-examines one of the most controversial incidents of the Iraq War and the two-decade fight over what happened, who should be held accountable and whether the full truth was ever allowed to emerge.

On November 19, 2005, 24 Iraqi civilians were killed by U.S. Marines in the city of Haditha. The killings would become the subject of the longest and most expensive criminal investigation in U.S. military history, drawing international scrutiny and raising questions about accountability within the military.

At the center of “Fault Line: Haditha” is former NCIS Special Agent Michael Maloney, who was assigned to investigate the killings. As Maloney pursued the case, he encountered political pressure, disputed testimony and what he came to believe were efforts by senior officials to undermine the investigation. His pursuit of the case would ultimately come at a significant cost to his career.

Twenty years later, Epstein returns to Haditha to examine what happened and what followed. Produced in collaboration with Crowd Network and High Road Entertainment, the series draws on years of reporting, documentary footage and extensive interviews to reconstruct the killings, the NCIS investigation, the subsequent legal proceedings and the lasting impact on the Marines involved and the Iraqi families whose lives were changed that day.

Each podcast episode will be accompanied by an original film on YouTube featuring extended scenes, archival material and interviews that expand upon the audio investigation. The footage includes interviews with Marines involved in the incident, NCIS investigators who worked the case and the sole surviving Iraqi eyewitness, who lost members of her family in the killings.

“This is a new kind of storytelling, a serialized investigation you hear on a podcast and then watch on YouTube. This isn’t just a video version of the audio. These are two distinct experiences that complement each other,” said Epstein. “As a filmmaker and a journalist, the most exciting thing for me is that there is no gatekeeper. I am able to take my investigation and all the revelations I’ve uncovered directly to a global audience.”

Epstein is an Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker and podcast producer whose work has earned two George Foster Peabody Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Writers Guild of America Award. His films have screened at the Sundance Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and New York Film Festival. His credits include “The Battle Over Citizen Kane,” “LENNONYC” and “John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky.” His 2020 investigative podcast “Murder in House Two” reached No. 1 on Apple Podcasts’ True Crime chart in the UK.

“‘Fault Line: Haditha’ represents the kind of ambitious investigative storytelling that podcasts are uniquely suited to deliver,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “Michael has spent years examining this story, bringing together firsthand accounts, extensive reporting and remarkable access to revisit questions that have remained unresolved for two decades. We’re proud to partner with Michael, Crowd Network and High Road Entertainment to bring this important investigation to audiences across both audio and video.”

“Over the last two decades, there have been hundreds of reported stories that sought to tell the truth of what happened in Haditha,” said Michael Carr, CEO, Crowd Network. “But Michael approached this tragedy differently. He never stopped questioning. He never stopped searching for the truth. His relentless passion and gift for storytelling reveal themselves not only in this podcast, but in the companion films that let audiences see this story, not just hear it.”

“Michael and I have worked together on this story of Haditha for many years now, driven by a shared vision of getting it heard as far and wide as possible,” said Richard Tulk-Hart, co-CEO, High Road Entertainment. “The more recent developments of this highly emotional and complex case have allowed for the podcast to come together in this unique format combining audio and documentary footage, and iHeart’s support has been instrumental. Conversations are now underway to bring the remarkable story to our screens, continuing to allow these voices to be heard.”

“Fault Line: Haditha” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and is available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. Video episodes will be available on YouTube.

About Michael Epstein

Michael Epstein is an Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker and podcast producer whose work has been awarded two George Foster Peabody Awards, two Primetime Emmys, a Writers Guild of America Award, a Clio, and numerous other honors. His films have been screened at dozens of international festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival, the Berlinalé, the Toronto International Film Festival, and the New York Film Festival. His first documentary film, The Battle Over Citizen Kane, was awarded a Peabody and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Epstein’s other work includes Combat Diary (Primetime Emmy nomination), LENNONYC (Peabody and Primetime Emmy Awards), and John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky (International Emmy nomination). Epstein’s original podcast series, “Murder in House Two,” was released in 2020 and became the #1 True Crime podcast (Apple) in the UK.

About Crowd Network

Crowd Network is a multi-platform content company creating and commercialising talent-led brands across sport, entertainment, and culture. Founded in 2020 and based in Manchester, England, Crowd works with some of the world’s leading athletes, broadcasters, and creators to build content brands that live across YouTube, social, audio, and live experiences. Its portfolio includes the For the Love network of sports content brands, alongside partnerships with major global brands and organisations.

About High Road Entertainment

High Road Entertainment is a scripted production and advisory company founded by Richard Tulk-Hart, former co-CEO of Buccaneer, and James Durie, former head of scripted television at Cineflix Rights. The company has its own slate of film and Television in development and recently helped set up BBC/Masterpiece series, “Portrait of a Lady” as well as “Mavis” for ITV. It is involved in multiple co-productions across the UK, US and International markets and represents a variety of high-end production companies. High Road also advises scripted producers on financing and distribution.

About iHeartMedia, Inc.

iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, with nine out of ten Americans listening to iHeart broadcast radio in every month. iHeart’s broadcast radio assets alone have a larger audience in the U.S. than any other media outlet and over four times the ad-enabled audience of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to both Podtrac and Triton, with more downloads than the next two podcast publishers combined, has the most recognizable live events across all genres of music, has the number one social footprint among audio players, has the highest-reach and most engaged influencers, and is the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts. The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.