Vox Media Acquires Criminal Productions, Leading Narrative Podcast Studio

 Criminal Productions will launch new shows and projects, enabling Vox Media to expand in narrative audio and true crime.

 

Vox Media, a leading independent modern media company, has announced the acquisition of Criminal Productions, one of the top narrative audio storytelling studios, founded by former public radio journalists Phoebe Judge and Lauren Spohrer. The critically acclaimed Criminal Productions was founded in 2013 and Judge and Spohrer have kept it independently owned and based in North Carolina. It has launched three successful podcast franchises that garner millions of downloads a month, highlighted by its breakout narrative series Criminal, one of the first and biggest true-crime podcasts,  and followed by the hopeful series This Is Love and the daily program Phoebe Reads a Mystery. 

 As part of the Vox Media Podcast Network (VMPN), recently named “Hottest in Podcasts” by Adweek, Criminal Productions will more than double its staff, expand Criminal into a weekly show, and launch new serialized shows. VMPN will explore opportunities to expand the franchises beyond podcasting, potentially including subscription products, further investment in live events, and intellectual property development. VMPN will also manage podcast advertising sales starting in January, transitioning from PRX’s Radiotopia podcast network, a key partner in Criminal Productions’ growth since 2015.

“After making these shows independently for the past seven years, we are delighted to join the talented journalists and podcast team at Vox Media. This new chapter gives us a perfect home to grow Criminal, launch new shows, and bring even more stories to our listeners,” said Phoebe Judge.

Criminal explores the unexpected side of true crime, telling thoughtful, complex stories that are deeply reported with compassion. It is one of the most popular podcasts in the world, and has been featured on “Best of” lists in Time, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, and Wired.

“Criminal broke new artistic ground when it launched, and Phoebe and Lauren have built it into an impressive business. As a longtime admirer of their work, I’m thrilled to see how we can take it to the next level as part of VMPN, while broadening the network’s scope into new genres,” says Marty Moe, president of Vox Media Studios. 

 The addition of Criminal Productions caps off a year of robust growth at Vox Media. Recent acquisitions include the drinks publication Punch and Hot Pod, the preeminent publication covering the podcasting industry. Vox Media Podcast Network acquired Preet Bharara’s Cafe Studios, and formed sales and distribution partnerships with popular podcasts including The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway, Longform, Gastropod, and Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast. VMPN also launched nearly a dozen new original shows over the past year. The company’s entertainment division, Vox Media Studios, continues to grow and has recently partnered with Netflix on Treasure Hunters, a documentary feature about the search for a $2 million treasure, and wrapped production on 892, a scripted feature based on a true story starring John Boyega as a war veteran who struggles adapting to civilian life.