Amazon is closing its Wondery podcast studio and laying off 110 employees as part of a major restructuring of its audio division.
Wondery, which Amazon acquired in late 2020, will see its existing shows moved under the Audible platform or into a newly created “creator services” unit. This new team will focus on hosting personality-driven content, including popular shows like the New Heights podcast by NFL brothers Jason and Travis Kelce.
In a staff memo, Steve Boom, Amazon’s VP of Audio, Twitch, and Games, acknowledged the shifting podcast landscape, highlighting how the growing popularity of video has changed.
“The podcast landscape has evolved significantly over the past few years,” Boom said. “The rise of video has also blurred the lines on what it means to be a podcast creator.”
Despite investing heavily and attracting major talent, Amazon’s podcast expansion hasn’t delivered as expected. The company now appears to be pivoting its strategy to stay competitive with leaders like Spotify and YouTube, both of which are leaning into video podcasting.
