Amazon Agrees to Buy Podcast Startup Wondery
Amazon.com Inc. said it has agreed to acquire podcast producer Wondery, the online retail giant’s latest move to beef up its audio offerings.
Amazon didn’t disclose the purchase price, but a person familiar with the matter said it was about $300 million. The Wall Street Journal earlier this month reported Amazon was in exclusive talks to purchase Wondery.
Founded in 2016, Wondery is one of several audio startups that blossomed in recent years as podcasting caught on with advertisers and listeners. Wondery is known for its gritty, narrative-driven podcasts that apply cinematic sound design to nonfiction stories.
Amazon said acquiring Wondery—the maker of true-crime shows like “Dr. Death,” “Dirty John” and “The Shrink Next Door”—would allow the company to deepen its podcast offerings.