Vox Media said it was acquiring Cafe Studios Inc., publisher of a popular podcast hosted by former Manhattan lawyer Preet Bharara, as part of a bid to expand its growing audio business.
The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the deal. Bharara will join Vox Media as the host, co-founder and creative director of Cafe, which will continue to exist as a brand. Bharara will report to Vox Media Studios president Marty Moe.
Outside Some Spider Inc. in 2020, Cafe Studios releases a handful of podcasts, including “Stay Tuned With Preet,” Mr. Bharara’s current affairs and pop culture talk show; “Third Degree,” a program of legal analysis; and “Doing Justice,” a narrative podcast based on a book by Mr. Bharara of the same name.
In an interview, Jim Bankoff, CEO of Vox Media, said Cafe Studios was worth buying because of its strong advertising business, the quality of its shows and the subscription business. Cafe Studios charges subscribers access to exclusive podcasts, a business model Bankoff said is interested in exploring.
“Vox Media is a company that relies on creative and talented people who connect and create authority and community with a large audience,” Bankoff said. “And that’s exactly what Preet and the Cafe team have done.”