Amazon.com Inc. is in exclusive talks to purchase podcast startup Wondery, according to people familiar with the matter, as the company pushes further into the growing audio sector. Wondery is the producer of “Bunga Bunga,” “Dirty John,” and “Dr. Death.” If it goes through, this would be the biggest deal ever in the booming podcasting market.
Benjamin Mullin and Anne Steele for Dow Jones Newswires:
The talks value Wondery over $300 million, the people said. Wondery’s last funding round, in June 2019, valued the company at $100 million, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The company is on track to increase revenue to more than $40 million this year, according one person familiar with the matter, with about 75% of that coming from advertising and the rest from licensing to TV, subscription services like Audible and Stitcher Premium, and Wondery’s own premium subscription service, which launched this summer.
MacDailyNews Note: Prior to Amazon’s interest, within the past couple of months, Apple reportedly held talks about potentially acquiring Wondery. Another potential suitor mentioned was Sony Music Entertainment.
In 2017, Apple bought Pop Up Archive, a startup that built technology to improve searching for podcasts. Earlier this year, Apple bought Scout FM, a podcasting service that turns shows into radio-like stations.
