Amazon shuts down Wondery podcast studio, lays off employees and asks CEO ‘to leave’; read VP’s memo to staff

Amazon is closing its Wondery podcast studio and cutting approximately 110 jobs as part of a major reorganization of its audio business, according to Bloomberg News. The move signals the tech giant’s strategic pivot away from its original podcasting ambitions amid industry-wide challenges. Wondery CEO Jen Sargent too will exit the company as existing shows are redistributed between Amazon’s Audible platform and a new “creator services” team focused on personality-driven content, including the popular Jason and Travis Kelce podcast.

Podcast industry’s shift to video format prompted Amazon’s move