Four years after Amazon’s $300 million acquisition of podcast network Wondery, the tech giant is dramatically restructuring its audio business.
This signals a major shift in its podcasting ambitions.
Wondery Folded into Audible and Creator Services
Amazon acquired Wondery in 2020, betting that exclusive podcast content could drive subscriptions to its Amazon Music platform — much like Spotify’s own podcast-centric strategy.
At the time, Wondery was known for top-charting narrative series such as American Scandal, Business Wars, and Dr. Death. But according to Bloomberg, Amazon is now dismantling much of the original Wondery operation.
The reorganization will affect approximately 110 employees, and Wondery CEO Jen Sargent will depart the company. Some affected staff will be reassigned to other departments, Amazon told The Verge.
Narrative-driven shows will now be handled by Audible, Amazon’s audiobook arm. Celebrity-hosted and video-centric podcasts — like New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce and Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard — will move to a newly formed Creator Services team.
