Versant, the newly formed parent company of CNBC and MS NOW, is weighing a buzzy acquisition target: the podcast network owned by Vox Media.
Versant is one of multiple suitors in talks to buy the network, which produces about 40 podcasts, according to several people with knowledge of the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiations were confidential. The talks, which are still in their early stages, may not result in a deal, the people said.
The podcast network is just one part of Vox Media’s business attracting suitors. Some companies are said to be interested in Vox Media’s portfolio of websites that includes Vox.com, The Verge and Eater, while others are interested in New York magazine. Last year, the company opted to explore a sale of its podcast division — a bright spot in the company’s portfolio — which led to further deal conversations.
Versant is trying to grow beyond its highly profitable but fading cable businesses. Mark Lazarus, the company’s chief executive, said earlier this month that he wanted roughly one-third of the company’s revenue to come from sources besides pay-TV in the next three to five years, and half of total revenue over time.
Already, Versant’s cable networks have seen early success building audio businesses around its on-air journalists. Last year, MS NOW launched “The Best People” with Nicolle Wallace, host of the politics program “Deadline: White House.” The show has been syndicated as a video series on YouTube and aired on the MS NOW cable channel, providing a potential template for other star journalists. Versant this year also struck a deal with Crooked Media, known for the popular progressive podcast “Pod Save America.”
A deal between Vox Media and Versant would be a reunion for the two companies. NBCUniversal, part of Comcast and the former parent company of what was then MSNBC, invested $200 million in Vox Media in 2015 at the height of the digital media boom. At the time, TV executives hoped that start-ups like Vox Media and BuzzFeed represented a bridge to the digital future and young audiences’ attention. (When Versant spun out from Comcast this year, it inherited NBCUniversal’s stake.)
Now, video podcasts hosted by charismatic creators represent a similar hope. Vox Media’s podcasts and Versant’s programming share key categories: political news and opinion, sports, business and personal finance.
In the podcasting industry, Vox Media has developed a reputation for brainy content and judicious growth. Its stars include the technology journalist Kara Swisher and the entrepreneur Scott Galloway, who host “Pivot” as well as a suite of separate shows, which they estimate will generate $100 million in revenue over the next few years. Other hosts include the relationship psychotherapist Esther Perel, the social researcher Brené Brown and Bella Freud, a fashion designer and descendant of Sigmund Freud.
The network offers development, distribution and marketing services to these hosts, depending on their individual needs, but primarily earns revenue through advertising. This revenue is often split between the network and the hosts; Andy Roddick’s tennis podcast “Served,” for example, said it surpassed $2 million in revenue in 2025 before leaving the network at the end of the year.
In the past, Jim Bankoff, Vox Media’s chief executive, used New York magazine and the company’s websites as a selling point for attracting podcasts hosts. They were a package deal. “Other podcast networks can’t offer these journalistic platforms that provide promotion and provide synergy,” Mr. Bankoff told The New York Times last May.
Versant has been aggressive in its pursuit of deals since it debuted on the Nasdaq earlier this year. So far, it has bought Free TV Networks, a provider of over-the-air digital broadcasts, and INDY Cinema Group, a technology platform for movie theaters.
Benjamin Mullin reports for The Times on the major companies behind news and entertainment. Contact him securely on Signal at +1 530-961-3223 or at [email protected].
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