Vox Media is ending its deal to distribute Taylor Lorenz’s podcast and YouTube show. The company had a short-term partnership with the high-profile tech reporter that is set to expire at the beginning of the year, Semafor has learned.
The company announced its partnership with Lorenz earlier this year in Axios, which dubbed the distribution deal a “huge win” for the company, as it tried to partner with premiere podcast talent on distribution, monetization and strategy. Still, while Lorenz remains one of the most talked-about journalists in digital media, her social media persona is a magnet for criticism both for her and for media companies associated with her.
Vox’s decision not to renew the show was made before Lorenz’s comments this week, in which she appeared to justify the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO as an expression of public discontent. (She clarified in a Substack post that she was not defending the shooting, and was instead making a point about the US health care system.)
In a post on X earlier this month, Lorez said she was revamping Power User, moving it away from an interview show, and was looking for a co-host. Lorenz declined to offer specifics, but told Semafor that she was very pleased with her experience working with Vox. “Vox is the best podcast network out there and I can’t speak more highly of them,” she said.
https://www.semafor.com/article/12/08/2024/taylor-lorenz-and-vox-are-parting-ways (Archive)
