Bill Block’s GammaTime is doubling down on true crime as a cornerstone content vertical, as the Los Angeles-based microdrama platform expands its push into mobile-first factual storytelling through a combination of archive deals and format adaptations.
The company has struck a partnership with MediaCo to mine the archives of the National Enquirer, reimagining decades of tabloid reporting as short-form vertical series. At the same time, it is mining established television IP through a licensing agreement to adapt episodes of Forensic Files into mobile-friendly microseries.
Taken together, the initiatives signal an emerging strategy: leveraging high-profile true crime properties and underexploited archives to build a differentiated slate in an increasingly crowded microcontent market.
The Enquirer partnership has already yielded its first title, National Enquirer Presents: The Drew Peterson Story, which launched this week on the GammaTime app. The series revisits the case of Drew Peterson, the police officer convicted of murdering his third wife, while his fourth wife disappeared. Further adaptations based on cases involving Richard Ramirez, Karen Read and Wanda Holloway are in development.
Executives describe the archive as a largely untapped resource for screen adaptation, particularly given that much of the reporting predates the digital era. The deal also includes promotional support across the Enquirer’s print and social channels, reflecting a coordinated effort to extend reach beyond the platform itself.
In parallel, GammaTime’s agreement for Forensic Files marks a move into reformatting long-form factual programming for vertical viewing. The company plans to curate a selection of episodes from the long-running series and re-edit them into short-form instalments designed for smartphone consumption. Originally spanning more than 400 episodes across multiple networks, the show’s storytelling and focus on forensic investigation are seen as well suited to episodic mobile viewing.
GammaTime, founded by former Miramax chief Bill Block alongside Slava Mudrykh and Alex Montalvo, launched in 2025 with $14m in seed funding.
The focus on true crime reflects a key shift in the vertical sector, with platforms experimenting beyond fictional, melodrama-led content. True crime, with its built-in audience recognition and episodic structure, offers a low-risk pathway to scale.
