Spotify needed a huge podcast, and it just bought one of the biggest

Spotify continued to prove it’s serious about dominating the podcast industry with an announcement today that it acquired The Ringer, a media company known both for its culture website and massive podcast operation headlined by The Bill Simmons Podcast. Now, Simmons’ show might instead anchor Spotify’s expanding podcast empire.

The acquisition rounds out a year in podcast-related purchases for Spotify. Almost exactly a year ago, the company bought Gimlet Media, a podcast network with shows like Reply All and Startup, and Anchor, a podcast creation app. Later in the year, it bought Parcast, a network that specializes in true crime and horror. Taken together, Spotify now owns programs related to sports, horror, and crime, as well as...

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