Podcasting has entered its maturity, in which the eye-watering spending sprees of the early 2020s have given way to more rational dealmaking. But even amid last year’s relative slowdown, the sector saw several marquee acquisitions.
From true crime masters to comedy titans, here are the on-air talent and behind-the-scenes dealmakers (increasingly the same folks) who are topping the charts and redefining the sector.
Among those, SmartLess, hosted by Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes, moved from Wondery over to SiriusXM in a deal said to be worth more than $100 million; Wondery, in turn, nabbed Armchair Expert, co-hosted by Dax Shepard, from Spotify in an $80 million deal, suggesting there’s still demand for and a premium placed on top talent. (THR)