Netflix Enlists Steve Wilson to Scale Podcast Library

Netflix is expanding its audio-visual portfolio by hiring Steve Wilson to lead podcast content acquisitions. Wilson will work on a contract basis to manage the growth of the company's video podcast catalog.

Wilson spent 15 years at Apple, where he most recently directed marketing for Apple Podcasts. He left that position in December 2020. Over the next six years, he served as chief strategy officer for podcast studio QCode before moving to Daylight Media in the same role.

The hiring follows a period of aggressive catalog growth. As of September, Netflix listed more than 60 video podcasts on its platform. The current lineup includes the true-crime series Murder With My Husband and the talk show The Pete Davidson Show. It also features Shut Up Evan, hosted by Evan Ross Katz, and The Puzzle Room With David Kwong. The service also carries Allegedly, a true-crime podcast hosted by NBC News correspondent Ellison Barber.

Wilson joins the company during a period of internal restructuring. Two weeks ago, Netflix announced layoffs affecting 6% of its workforce, roughly 1,000 positions. The cuts primarily impacted teams in product, technology, legal, and human resources. This was the largest reduction in the company's history.

Co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters explained the decision in an email to employees. They stated that the company's mission to entertain the world requires discipline in prioritizing people and resources. The memo emphasized the need for strategic focus.

Alongside the layoffs, Netflix removed several senior executives. Bela Bajaria, the chief content officer, departed. Dan Lin, head of film, and his deputy Doug Belgrad also left the company. Carolina Garcia, director of original series, was among those ousted. Peter Rice, a veteran television executive, was selected to replace Bajaria.

During the Q3 2026 earnings call, Sarandos addressed the leadership changes. He acknowledged the need for improvement in content strategy. He said the company wants to build on existing momentum.