Particle.news
Download on the App Store
13 ARTICLES
·
3w ago

Amazon Overhauls Wondery, Moves Narrative Podcasts to Audible and Lays Off 110 Staff

The move reflects Amazon’s strategy to tap rising demand for video-forward, personality-led content

Image
Photo: T. Schneider (Shutterstock)
The Amazon logo is displayed on a sign outside the company's LDJ5 sortation center, as employees begin voting to unionize a second warehouse in the Staten Island borough of New York City, U.S. April 25, 2022.
Image

Overview

  • Amazon has begun merging Wondery’s narrative series such as Dr. Death and American Scandal into its Audible unit
  • A newly formed Creator Services team within Amazon Talent Services will oversee video-integrated, personality-led podcasts like Armchair Expert and New Heights
  • Approximately 110 Wondery employees have been laid off or reassigned to other roles within Amazon
  • Chief Executive Jen Sargent will depart following the transition while the Wondery brand and its Plus subscription app continue operating
  • Amazon plans to unify sponsorship sales and streamline monetization across audio and video formats to compete with rivals like Spotify and YouTube