Amazon denies report it’s shutting down Wondery podcast studio

Amazon has officially denied recent reports suggesting the closure of its Wondery podcast studio. The company, which acquired the popular podcast network in late 2020, clarified its strategic direction following a Bloomberg report that alleged the studio was being shut down with 110 jobs to be cut.

In a statement provided to TechCrunch, Amazon confirmed that Wondery will continue to operate and develop creator-led podcasts under its established brand, albeit within a restructured team. The key change involves a strategic separation of the teams managing Wondery’s narrative podcast efforts from those focused on its creator-led shows.

Under this new organizational structure, Wondery’s narrative podcast studio, known for acclaimed series such as “Dr. Death” and “American Scandal,” will be integrated with Audible, another Amazon-owned audio content platform. This move aims to streamline operations and leverage synergies across Amazon’s audio businesses.

An Amazon spokesperson elaborated on the decision, stating, “The podcast landscape has evolved significantly in the past few years, particularly with the rise of video-forward, creator-led content.” The company emphasized that these changes are designed to reflect this evolution and enhance Wondery’s integration within the broader Amazon ecosystem.

The company’s statement further detailed the benefits of this strategic shift: “By making these changes, we can better support creators in monetizing their content across multiple channels, help them expand their brand IP, and simplify the process for advertisers while making content more accessible to audiences wherever they prefer to consume it. This evolution builds on Wondery’s early success with video-forward shows and positions us to better serve creators, customers, and advertisers.”

This strategic realignment comes as Amazon seeks to strengthen its competitive position against major players in the podcasting industry, such as Spotify and YouTube, which are increasingly embracing video formats in their audio content strategies.

Update: This article was updated to reflect Amazon’s direct denial of reports claiming the shutdown of its Wondery podcast studio.