Wondery, one of the last major independent podcast networks, may soon be owned by Amazon. The companies announced an acquisition deal today, ending speculation about who might eventually buy the network, which is best known for true crime podcasts like Dirty John. (Apple and Sony would also have at least discussed a possible purchase.)
Amazon did not disclose the purchase price, although previous reports of Bloomberg and Wall Street Newspaper suggested that the value of the Wondery was at least $ 300 million. Wondery would technically be part of Amazon Music, which launched podcast support in September this year. Wondery CEO Hernan Lopez will step down and leave the company when the deal closes, and COO Jen Sargent will take over, according to Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Mullin.
The acquisition is notable, not least because it puts Amazon to better compete with Spotify, which for more than a year has been acquiring exclusive networks and talents. Amazon says this Wondery deal does not change existing programs – they will still be available through “a variety of providers”. But Amazon says it hopes the purchase of Wondery “will accelerate the growth and evolution of podcasts, bringing creators, hosts and immersive experiences to even more listeners around the world.”
Of course, Amazon Music would probably promote Wondery shows instead of other shows and possibly put even more marketing spending behind, especially globally. Interestingly, Audible is not mentioned in the press release, although the Amazon-owned company creates its own exclusive podcasts, as well as others that are publicly available, and recently launched a cheaper price level specifically for people who might want to hear the exclusive ones from Audible.
Correction 30/12, 13:29 ET: This story stated that Wondery is now owned by Amazon, but the deal has not yet closed.
Update 30/12, 15:13 ET: Updated to reflect that Hernan Lopez will leave the Wondery when the deal is closed.