![]() ![]() Prior to HitFix, she worked at companies including Reed Business Information, BV Capital/Bertelsmann Ventures, DoubleClick and JP Morgan. It’s meant to super-serve our most passionate fans.”īefore joining Wondery in 2018, Sargent was president of Uproxx Media (after the company acquired entertainment site HitFix, which she had co-founded). “The way we’re thinking of it is, the Amazon Music app is a fantastic music experience and starting experience for podcasts,” Sargent said. Wondery Plus, available via the dedicated app that Wondery launched last summer, costs $4.99 per month or $34.99 for an annual subscription. Meanwhile, Wondery Plus - the company’s subscription service providing early access to shows and exclusive content - is continuing under Amazon’s wing. Getting that above 50% will be a tipping point, and Wondery wants to actively “create those on-ramps for topics people are interested in.” adults (116 million people) are monthly podcast listeners, per Triton Digital/Edison Research’s latest research. Sargent believes the TV shows will help Wondery gain more exposure - and pick up new listeners for its original podcasts. Death” for NBCUniversal’s Peacock, starring Joshua Jackson, Christian Slater and Alec Baldwin. UCP also is producing a series adaptation of Wondery’s “Dr. Universal Content Productions is developing a “Joe Exotic” show based on the Wondery podcast (separate from Netflix’s “Tiger King” docu-series) with Kate McKinnon set to star and executive produce. Sargent said that while “we are having a lot of conversations with Amazon Studios” about adapting Wondery shows, there’s not any kind of first-look deal with the corporate sibling: “We will continue to find the best home for our IP.”Īmong its TV deals: Apple is adapting “The Shrink Next Door,” based on the podcast from Wondery and Bloomberg Media, as a dark comedy starring Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd and Kathryn Hahn. Currently, the company has 18 different projects in various stages at different studios. ![]() ![]() Death,” “Bad Batch,” “The Shrink Next Door,” “Business Wars,” “Joe Exotic: Tiger King,” “American History Tellers,” “Tides of History,” “The Daily Smile” and “Imagined Life.”įor Wondery, an important revenue stream has been deals to adapt its most popular original podcasts for TV. We have big aspirations for growing… and Amazon Music has had tremendous growth these last few years.” “When we first started talking to Amazon, one of the things that clicked with me was customer focus – customer obsession works its way into every conversation at Amazon,” Sargent said. Sargent acknowledged that other companies had been interested in acquiring Wondery she wouldn’t identify them, but Apple and Sony Music Entertainment also held deal talks with the company, Bloomberg previously reported. “We’re just starting to exploit it,” Sargent said. One of the areas she’s most excited about is smart speakers, specifically Amazon’s Alexa, and the potential to link premium podcast listening with the devices. “First and foremost, we are tremendously excited about this opportunity to partner with Amazon and accelerate the growth of podcasts globally,” said Sargent, who reports to Amazon Music VP Steve Boom.Īs CEO of Wondery, Sargent plans to expand the programming lineup - which has featured a mix of unscripted and scripted podcasts - to reach broader and more diverse audiences while “continuing our culture of taking risks.” That includes plans to delve into new genres and formats, including the launch of a game show later in 2021 and expanding Wondery’s kids and family content. ![]()
0 Comments
|
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |