Ina Garten Lands 7-Figure Vox Media Podcast Deal for 'Happy Hour'

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 21

September will bring “Happy Hour With Ina Garten,” a new Vox Media podcast built around cocktails, mocktails and longer-form conversations rather than cooking.
A bidding war drove the seven-figure deal, an unusually strong outcome for an unmade show, as podcast companies chase established personalities with loyal audiences.
Garten, 78, said she wanted a younger, faster-moving medium and more room for deeper talks than television allowed after more than 20 years on Food Network.
Jenna Weiss-Berman, who spent two years urging Garten to enter podcasting, developed the show and will executive produce it for Vox Media.
The deal underscores a broader shift toward TV-style video podcasts fronted by recognizable brands, following layoffs and closures that pushed the industry toward safer bets.