What you need to know
- Amazon has acquired podcast network Wondery.
- The podcasts produced by the studio will now be featured in Amazon Music.
In a press release, Amazon has announced that it is acquiring Wondery, a podcast publisher who was recently in talks with multiple companies about a potential acquisition.
We're pleased to announce that Wondery has signed an agreement to join Amazon Music. Wondery is an innovative podcast publisher with a track record of creating and producing top-rated podcasts that entertain and educate listeners, including "Dirty John," "Dr. Death," "Business Wars," and "The Shrink Next Door." Wondery is already delighting listeners with its collection of immersive podcasts, and the company is evolving this entertainment medium into a truly new and exciting experience.
Surprisingly, it appears that Wondery's podcasts will still be available on multiple platforms. Many recent podcast or podcasting network acquisitions reached a sale due to making the content exclusive to a specific platform, like the Joe Rogan Experience becoming a Spotify exclusive podcast.
When the deal closes, nothing will change for listeners, and they'll continue to be able to access Wondery podcasts through a variety of providers. With Amazon Music, Wondery will be able to provide even more high-quality, innovative content and continue their mission of bringing a world of entertainment and knowledge to their audiences, wherever they listen.
Amazon is new to the podcast space, launching the content as part of Amazon Music in September of 2020. Back in November, it was reported that Apple was also one of the companies potentially interested in acquiring the podcasting network, which was apparently seeking between $300 to $400 million for a sale.
Apple and Sony are two of at least four companies that have discussed a deal with Wondery, according to one of the people. Though Spotify Technology SA has been the most aggressive buyer of podcasting companies over the last two years, the Swedish audio giant has pulled out of the running, said two people with knowledge of the talks. A deal is expected in coming months, but there's no guarantee that the discussions won't fall apart.
The move by Amazon is an obvious investment to kickstart its presence as a player in the industry as the podcast wars heat up between other companies like Apple and Spotify.
