For years, narrative podcasts were the buzziest segment of the industry. They were what many listeners thought of when they heard the word “podcast.” Many of these shows, following the lead of Serial, were true crime, while others, like Slow Burn, took a similar investigative approach to politics and history. But regardless of genre, most narrative shows shared a style — they were told through the perspective of a single reporter-host, who not only guided a listener through a story but invited them along on the reporting journey. Now, these shows seem increasingly like an artifact of history. Layoffs have hit nearly every organization that makes this kind of audio, from corporate behemoths like Spotify to successful start-ups like Pushkin Industries to the public-radio godfather of it all, This American Life. In early August, Amazon announced it was dismantling Wondery, one of the biggest and most commercially successful studios in the business, which had made its name on shows like Dr. Death and The Shrink Next Door. Amazon had acquired Wondery less than five years ago for $300 million. Now, the company was being broken up into parts and a reported 110 staffers were laid off., Podcasts like 'Serial,' 'The Shrink Next Door,' and 'Over My Dead Body' were once a booming industry. But times — and budgets — have changed., The future of podcasting seems bright, with opportunities for growth and evolution, proving that while podcasts may face obstacles, they are adapting rather than disappearing..