Obamas strike a deal with Amazon’s Audible

Barack and Michelle Obamas’ media firm struck an exclusive podcasting deal with Amazon.com Inc.’s Audible, a move that comes shortly after a similar agreement with Spotify wasn’t extended.

As a result of the deal, Audible will have exclusive first-look rights to all podcasts created by Higher Ground, the production firm that the Obamas created in 2018. Financial terms of the multilayer agreement weren’t disclosed, nor were details about programming or how many podcasts the deal might include.

The deal is significant for Audible, which began as an audiobook firm but has expanded into podcasts and other areas of audio entertainment. Its celebrity podcasts include “Climate of Change,” which examines the changing environment and is hosted by Cate Blanchett and entrepreneur Danny Kennedy; and “My Body, My Podcast,” which focuses on sex education and was created by actress Elizabeth Banks.

Barack Obama said that at Higher Ground, they always have sought to lift voices that deserve to be heard, and Audible has invested in realizing that vision alongside us.

Higher Ground’s previous deal with Spotify was struck in 2019 and led to a series of podcasts, including “The Michelle Obama Podcast” and “Renegades: Born in the USA,” a series of talks between Bruce Springsteen and Barack Obama.

The Obamas have been involved in multiple media production deals since leaving the White House. IN 2018, Higher Ground 2018 struck a multi-year agreement to produce shows and documentaries for Netflix.