Dwi Wanna
By Alyssa Mercante
May 15, 2026
In the rapidly shifting landscape of modern entertainment, Amazon is making a definitive power play: it is betting that the future of television isn’t found on a traditional broadcast network, but rather within the dynamic, creator-led world of video podcasts. At its May 11 Upfront presentation in New York City, the e-commerce giant unveiled a vision of "multiplatform franchises" designed to capture massive TV budgets while seamlessly integrating into the company’s vast retail, live event, and social media ecosystems.
The event, which featured high-wattage performances from Diplo and Kacey Musgraves and appearances by cultural icons like Ice Spice, Shaboozey, and Oprah Winfrey—the latter of whom announced a major partnership with Amazon’s Wondery studio—signaled that the era of the "fringe" podcast is officially over. For Amazon, video podcasts have graduated to the big leagues, serving as the new cornerstone for talk-based, long-form programming.
The Strategy: Beyond the Microphone
Amazon’s strategy is built on a simple premise: audiences are migrating away from static, linear television toward content that feels personal, portable, and community-driven. By leveraging the scale of Wondery and the infrastructure of its retail arm, Amazon is transforming creators into modern-day media moguls.
Angie More, director of creator advertising partnerships at Amazon, believes the shift is structural. "It’s evolving so quickly," More noted in an interview ahead of the Upfront. "To keep up with it, we have to make sure we’re following the trends. We are moving toward creator-led podcasts that function as full-blown franchises."
This isn’t just about audio with a camera attached. It is about a 360-degree content strategy. Amazon is actively courting creators who are willing to pivot, experiment, and scale. For instance, the company is moving away from the "default" interview format; More pointed to an upcoming project with Jason Kelce that moves far beyond the traditional "talking head" podcast, incorporating high-production, Jackass-style stunts that demand audience engagement across multiple screens.
Chronology of a Medium’s Evolution
The rise of the video podcast as a competitor to traditional TV has been a gradual, multi-year progression:
- 2024: The industry begins to pivot as creators realize that discovery is broken on pure-audio platforms. Video clips on TikTok and YouTube Shorts become the primary funnel for driving listeners to long-form audio.
- February 2026: Apple officially integrates video support into its podcast app, signaling a major shift in how the largest distribution platforms view the medium. This move legitimizes the "video-first" or "video-enhanced" podcast as a standard feature rather than an experimental add-on.
- May 11, 2026: Amazon’s Upfront in NYC marks the point of total convergence. By placing video podcasts on the same stage as traditional television-style programming, Amazon signals to advertisers that these shows are now "TV-budget ready."
- The Future: The industry is now moving toward a "total ecosystem" model, where creators are expected to maintain presence on social media for discovery, long-form video for deep engagement, and audio for portability, all while converting commerce through retail touchpoints.
Supporting Data: What the Metrics Say
Despite the industry’s enthusiasm, the transition is still in its early stages for the average consumer. A recent report by Triton Digital highlights a complex consumer reality: only 7% of listeners currently consume video-only podcasts. However, a significant 80% of the audience consumes both audio and video, suggesting that the "dual-format" approach is the most effective way to capture market share.
Furthermore, a 2025 Podcast Pulse study conducted by Acast reveals the core psychological driver behind this growth: 79% of listeners choose podcasts specifically because they feel "personal and like a one-to-one connection." This intimacy, when scaled through high-production video, provides a level of brand trust that standard 30-second television commercials simply cannot replicate.
Industry Expert Perspectives
The shift has not gone unnoticed by media analysts and industry executives, who view this convergence as a necessary evolution of the digital advertising space.
Matt Barash, chief commercial officer at Nova Studio, argues that video podcasts fulfill the same functional role that broadcast television has held for decades. "They generate long-form attention in an era dominated by short-form feeds, build habitual viewing patterns through episodic programming, and cultivate loyal audiences that return week after week with the same consistency of traditional network shows," Barash told Digiday.
Lisa Herdman, chief enterprise integration officer at RPA, offers a nuanced take, viewing the trend as an expansion of social reach. "We’re witnessing a convergence that combines the strengths of each medium," she explained. "It’s not necessarily a replacement for traditional TV, but an evolution of it. It maintains the performance advantages of digital media while capturing the premium feel of television."
The "Concierge" Approach to Partnerships
Amazon’s competitive advantage lies in its "flywheel." Unlike standalone podcast networks or independent creators, Amazon can bridge the gap between content consumption and product purchase.
More describes her team as a "concierge service" for creators and brands. The goal is to move beyond the "matching game"—where a brand simply buys a slot on a podcast—and toward a model where the brand is woven into the franchise. This includes integrated product placements, livestream commerce opportunities, and, increasingly, IRL (in-real-life) events that allow creators to foster deeper connections with their communities.
However, Amazon is candid about the hurdles that remain. "The biggest thing we need to address over the next couple of years is measurement," More admitted. "It’s hard to bring all the different experiences together, especially when you don’t own the platforms."
To combat this, the company is leaning into identity graphs, clean rooms, and multi-touch attribution models. The strategy is to help brands track a consumer journey that might start with a viral clip on social media, move to a long-form episode on YouTube, and conclude with a transaction on the Amazon store.
Implications: The Death of the "One-Off" Creator
Perhaps the most significant takeaway from Amazon’s new direction is the changing expectation for creators. The company is no longer interested in working with influencers who merely want to host a weekly chat.
Amazon is explicitly seeking "network-grade" creators. As More stated, "The creators that want to get out there and be in more places and are visible—those are the ones that have long-term staying power. We’re really focused on the types of creators that don’t want to have just one show or one podcast; they understand they have to be flexible."
For the creator economy, this marks a professionalization phase. The "creator-as-a-business" is becoming the "creator-as-a-network." Those who can manage a multiplatform identity, maintain consistent production quality, and engage with retail data will be the ones who secure the next generation of massive advertising partnerships.
Conclusion: A New Frontier for Advertising
As Amazon continues to refine its ecosystem, the lines between podcasting, social media, and traditional television will continue to blur. For advertisers, this represents a massive opportunity to reach audiences in a state of high engagement. For creators, it offers a path to sustainability and scale that was previously unavailable.
The "video podcast" is no longer just a podcast with a camera—it is the next iteration of the broadcast network, and if Amazon’s vision is any indication, the future of the medium is as much about the screen as it is about the sound. The question for brands moving forward is not whether they should invest in creator-led content, but how they can adapt their own strategies to survive in this new, "always-on" 360-degree ecosystem.
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