The deal, valued at $300 million, is the latest in a string of acquisitions as streaming platforms expand beyond music and video.
Amazon is acquiring Wondery, the company behind podcasts such as “Dirty John,” “Dr. Death” and “The Shrink Next Door,” as the race to grab parts of the audio market continues. The deal, announced on Wednesday, is the latest bet that media companies are placing on audio — podcasts in particular — as they search for new ways to distinguish themselves in an increasingly crowded streaming video market. The deal values Wondery, which began in 2016, at roughly $300 million, a person briefed on the matter said. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal terms were not disclosed. Amazon called the Wondery deal a “pivotal moment to expand the Amazon Music offering beyond music as listener habits evolve.” Podcasts have been exploding in popularity, with nearly a third of Americans saying at the beginning of 2019 that they listened to at least one monthly.
