Originally published August 8.
The past few days have felt like another seismic moment in podcasting. With news that Amazon is folding Wondery into Audible—and laying off 110 people—I’ve been hearing from folks across the industry asking the same thing: What does this really mean? Is it the start of something bigger? A major inflection point… or just the latest in a series of turning points as the business continues to evolve?
Let’s go Q & A.
Q: Amazon just folded Wondery into Audible. What’s really going on here?
This move appears to be more than a corporate reshuffle. It signals a broader strategic shift. Wondery’s narrative podcast division, along with its Wondery+ subscription offering, will now be part of Audible. Meanwhile, its creator-led, personality-driven shows are being organized under a new “Creator Services” team.
The emphasis seems to be shifting toward big-name talent and scalable hits—and away from costly, long-form narrative shows that are harder to sustain in the current market.
Q: Why now? Was this a sudden move?
Amazon has been pushing the Audible name to the podcast industry for months. This photo is from May’s Podcast Show London
While the announcement may have felt abrupt, the signs were there. At Podcast Show London just a few months ago, Amazon and Audible had two of the most prominent footprints. I don’t recall seeing the name Wondery. Audible also had a strong presence at Podcast Movement in April handing out portable microphones and lots of signage. That kind of visibility doesn’t happen by accident.
More than a year ago, I had conversations with a leader of Audible’s business development team. Even then, they were actively thinking about podcasting’s trajectory—and how it might better align with Audible’s strengths and Amazon’s larger content ecosystem.
Q: Is this good or bad for podcasting?
It depends on which corner of the podcast universe you’re looking at.
For heavily produced narrative shows—the kind Wondery helped define—it’s a reminder of how tough it is to scale and monetize that format. These shows are time-intensive, expensive, and often difficult to monetize at a level that justifies the investment.
But more broadly, this shift can be seen as part of podcasting’s ongoing evolution. We’re witnessing increasing consolidation, growing pressure to generate returns, and a sharper focus on formats that can scale quickly—like creator-led, video-enabled podcasts.
Video is a big catalyst.
Amazon’s internal memo reflects that thinking. VP Steve Boom wrote:
“As video podcasting has grown in popularity, we have learned that creator-led, video-integrated shows have different audience needs and require distinct discovery, growth, and monetization strategies compared to audio-first, narrative series.”
There you go.
Q: Is Amazon pulling back from podcasting?
Not necessarily. Zooming out, it seems more like a strategic recalibration than a retreat. The audiobook business, after all, is estimated to be around $8 billion, while podcasting is still hovering around $2.5 to $3 billion. That kind of disparity shapes investment priorities.
Immersive storytelling still has a place in podcasting—but it may need to live within a larger, more sustainable platform that supports premium audio and long-term growth.
Q: Audible has tried podcasting before. What happened?
Audible has experimented with podcasting over the years—offering free content, commissioning original series, even reading news articles and magazines aloud at one point. But none of those efforts seemed to stick.
This latest move feels more purposeful: aligning Wondery’s best narrative talent with Audible’s core strengths in longform listening, premium subscriptions, and trusted brand equity. Amazon has podcast app envy, but it feels as though the podcast app ship has sailed.
Q: What does this tell us about the future of podcasting?
Alongside the Wondery news came word a few weeks ago that Pineapple Street Studios, once a flagship production company under Audacy, was shut down. Together, these developments suggest podcasting is moving out of its wide-open, exploratory phase and into a more mature, platform-driven era.
At the same time, we’re seeing the industry divide further into two clear lanes:
– Narrative-first shows, which remain artistically powerful but are difficult to scale or monetize.
– Personality-driven shows, which adapt more easily to video and can be scaled, branded, and monetized more efficiently.
Q: Does this shift leave smaller or niche shows behind?
Actually, no—and in many ways, this shift isn’t even about them.
Amazon’s restructuring is focused on scale: big talent, big shows, big platforms. But that doesn’t mean smaller shows are being squeezed out. In fact, they often operate in a parallel universe where loyalty, community, and specificity matter more than mass.
The phrase “riches in niches” keeps proving true in podcasting. These shows may not hit massive download numbers, but their engaged audiences are often more willing to support them through subscriptions, merchandise, events, or platforms like Patreon. As the biggest players chase scale, smaller creators may find even more room to differentiate and thrive.
The Questions That Matter Most
Wondery was a remarkable startup. CEO Hernan Lopez came from a video background, which helped fuel his ambition to build the first breakout storytelling brand in podcasting.
In a space once dominated by experimentation, we’re now seeing strategy, structure, and ROI take center stage.
Podcasting is now unmistakably a mainstream business.
This is the rubric to follow: Spotify wants to be YouTube. YouTube wants to be Netflix. And Amazon now seems to be refining its approach to fit that competitive landscape.
The platforms may be consolidating, but the opportunities are still expanding—for those who know where to look.
There’s still room for innovation, new voices, and independent creators to grow.
