Amazon is splitting up its Wondery podcast studio just four years after acquiring it, as first reported by Bloomberg. As part of the change, the studio will shed around 110 employees, while Wondery CEO Jen Sargent will leave the company.
In a statement to The Verge, Amazon spokesperson Alice Zhou confirmed that while Wondery will continue to produce podcasts, its narrative-driven studio, which has developed shows like Dr. Death, American Scandal, and Business Wars, will merge with Amazonâs Audible team.
Its celebrity-hosted shows, such as New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce, LeBron Jamesâ Mind the Game, and Dax Shepardâs Armchair Expert, will join a new âcreator servicesâ team that will focus on âselling large sponsorships,â according to Bloomberg. Some of these shows will keep the Wondery branding, while the Wondery Plus app will also remain available after the shuffle, according to Bloomberg.
âThe podcast landscape has evolved significantly in the past few years, particularly with the rise of video-forward, creator-led content,â Zhou said. âThese changes reflect that evolution and will streamline how Wondery integrates further into Amazon.â Zhou added that âmanyâ of the Wondery employees impacted by the studioâs split moved to âother parts of Amazon.â
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