The Industry's Rush to $80 Video Games Has Stalled — For Now
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Gizmodo
10 minutes ago
- Gizmodo
Amazon Is Laying Off Wondery Staff as It Rethinks Its Podcast Business
Amazon is reportedly laying off more than 100 employees as it overhauls its podcast business amid major shifts in the industry. Bloomberg first reported on Monday that Amazon is laying off about 110 staff from its Wondery podcast studio and shifting some shows to Audible, its other audio-focused subsidiary. As part of the shake-up, Wondery CEO Jen Sargent is leaving the company. The reorganization comes as the podcast industry faces its own 'video killed the radio star' moment, with creator-led, video-based shows surging in popularity and thus being more monetizable. The e-commerce giant sent Gizmodo the following statement about the changes: The podcast landscape has evolved significantly in the past few years, particularly with the rise of video-forward, creator-led content. These changes reflect that evolution and will streamline how Wondery integrates further into Amazon. By making these changes, we can better support creators in monetizing their content across multiple channels, help them expand their brand IP, and simplify the process for advertisers while making content more accessible to audiences wherever they prefer to consume it. This evolution builds on Wondery's early success with video-forward shows and positions us to better serve creators, customers, and advertisers. In a memo to staff obtained by Deadline, Steve Boom, Amazon's vice president of audio, Twitch, and games, said the rise of video podcasting has created 'different audience needs' and requires 'distinct discovery, growth, and monetization strategies' compared to traditional audio-only narrative podcasts. In the letter, Boom said that Amazon is reorganizing Wondery with its narrative podcasts like Dr. Death and Business Wars moving to Audible. The studio's chief content officer, Marshall Lewy, will also be headed to Audible. For Wondery's creator-led shows like Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert and Jason and Travis Kelce's New Heights, a new Creator Services team under Amazon's Talent Services division will be taking over. This team will continue operating the creator-focused podcast studio under the Wondery brand, working closely with a select group of top creators to expand their audiences and deepen their partnership with Amazon. Bloomberg highlighted LeBron James, who hosts the podcast Mind the Game and has served as a Prime Day spokesperson, as a blueprint for this new approach. Amazon originally acquired Wondery in 2021 for about $300 million, according to media reports. At its peak, the studio saw some of its hit podcasts like Dirty John adapted into TV shows. But Amazon isn't the only company that has poured big money into podcasting. Last year, Spotify reportedly signed a $250 million deal to continue managing sponsorships for Joe Rogan's podcast. Meanwhile, SiriusXM paid $125 million to poach Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast from Spotify. As competition has increased in the industry, there have already been some losers too. In June, Audacy, the radio giant owned by a group led by Soros Fund Management, shut down its podcast-focused Pineapple Street Studios. Public media is also facing challenges. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which helps fund National Public Radio (NPR), a pioneer in podcasting, is set to wind down operations and lay off most of its staff by September 30. This move comes as President Donald Trump has cut the nonprofit's funding.
Vogue
11 minutes ago
- Vogue
Summer's Not Over—Here's Why You Still Need a Strapless Dress
Summer is far from over—for most of us, the weather really doesn't start to change until well into September. With August vacations on the horizon and end-of-season heatwaves still to come, you're going to need reliable standbys to take you from sunup to sundown—and the best strapless dresses do just that. They're no-fail wardrobe heroes that bring a bit of elevation to everyday looks, with simple swaps in accessories. Whether you're filling up a carry-on for a weekend away, or perhaps hunting for that perfect wedding guest dress for upcoming nuptials, look no further than the best strapless dresses. Vogue's List of Best Strapless Dresses: One of the major dress trends to come out of 2025, this season's strapless dresses are more refined and minimalist-friendly than your Y2K-era, bandage minis. Modern strapless dresses play with proportions, with many falling mid-calf length or longer, in breezy fabrics that will keep you cool on even the hottest of days. Better yet, the best strapless dresses can transition seamlessly between seasons, with the addition of a stylish cardigan or boxy jacket over top, allowing you to wear to work and beyond, with plenty of wearability beyond the summer months. Packing for vacation? Look no further than a fresh crop of strapless favorites from Matteau, Faithfull, and St. Agni. These are the hit list picks that keep selling out, making it an ideal time to scoop them up presently, with end-of-season restocks hitting. Plus, they can easily be styled with ballet flats and retro sneakers during the day, or a simple sandal at night. Perhaps you're still needing a graceful number for those late-season weddings? Consider Staud's embellished, black tube dress (accompanied by a kitten heeled mule and good clutch bag), or Cara Cara's stunning, floor-length maxi dress in a dark floral print, to compliment the dreamy landscape of that countryside fête. There's no time like the present to snag one of the best strapless dresses—shop our top styles below, to complete your end-of-summer wardrobe.
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Heads Of State' Rules With 75M+ Global Prime Video Viewers, Amazon MGM Studios' Fourth Most Watched Movie On The Streamer
EXCLUSIVE: The Ilya Naishuller-directed action movie Heads of State has clocked in north of 75 million worldwide Prime Video viewers since its July 2 launch, we can tell you first. That makes it the fourth most-watched Amazon MGM Studios film of all-time on Amazon's OTT service. More from Deadline 'Heads Of State' Review: John Cena And Idris Elba Try To Save The World And This Movie Loaded With Action, Violence, Explosions, And Not Much Else Period Epic Series 'King & Conqueror' Sells To Prime Video U.S. & Scores Of International Buyers Including HBO Max 'Squid Game' Star Lee Jung-jae & 'The Glory's Lim Ji-yeon Star In Prime Video Rom-Com Series 'Nice To Not Meet You' The pic ranks behind the Dwayne Johnson-Chris Evans Christmas action title Red One from Jake Kasdan, which is Prime Video's most watched Amazon MGM feature title of all time. While an extended month number was never made public, Red One clocked 50M Prime Video viewers in its first four days; it also received a theatrical release, grossing $186M worldwide. The second most-watched Amazon MGM movie on Prime is the Ben Affleck-Jon Bernthal The Accountant 2 with 80M worldwide viewers over its first 28 days. That Gavin O'Connor-directed action dramedy also went to the big screen and grossed $103.2M at the global box office. In third is Skydance acquisition The Tomorrow War. Heads of State stars Idris Elba, John Cena, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Carla Gugino, Jack Quaid, Stephen Root, Sarah Niles, Richard Coyle and Paddy Considine. Pic, written by Josh Appelbaum & André Nemec and Harrison Query. follows a UK Prime Minister and U.S. President who become the targets of a foreign adversary. The duo are forced to rely on each other to thwart a global conspiracy. The film also landed the No. 1 spot on Nielsen's Movie chart during its debut week with 1.098 billion minutes streamed and was the No. 1 film on Prime Video for four weeks. Pic's producers are Peter Safran and John Rickard, with Marcus Viscidi, Appelbaum, Nemec, Cena and Elba executive producing. Naishuller has also come aboard to direct Amazon MGM Studios' Road House 2, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, who is reprising his role as Dalton. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Emmys, Oscars, Grammys & More
