Netflix Hired the Wrong Wilson

By Scott Willson · 2026-10-26

Netflix has hired Steve Wilson, a longtime Apple Podcasts exec who ran partner relations there and later worked at QCODE and Daylight Media, to lead podcast content acquisition, first as a consultant. Netflix started putting video versions of big audio shows on the service last year, with The Breakfast Club and The Bill Simmons Podcast among the launch partners, and it requires those shows to leave YouTube. A study earlier this year found 13 percent of US Netflix households had watched at least a minute of a podcast. Co CEO Ted Sarandos recently called the podcast and creator deals a very small investment next to Netflix’s roughly $20 billion content budget, and YouTube is offering talent millions to stay put.

First of all, I’m a little upset that I didn’t get this job. Steve Wilson. I’m Scott Willson. With two L’s. Never fucking make that mistake. Willson with two L’s, because two is better than one.

What is podcast content acquisitions? Like, what do you do? You just go on Apple and look at the top 100 podcasts and then sign them to a massive Netflix deal? This is a fake job, and I want this fake job. So fire Steve Wilson immediately and hire the Willson with two L’s.

I’ve worked in podcasting for almost 10 years now. Ripper Magoo’s with Bob Menery, ever heard of it? Yeah, it was a massive podcast that Bob did for 17 episodes. I was the producer. I can be the lead podcast acquisitions guy at Netflix.

You want sports shows? I’ll go to the sports category and I’ll get the top five. You want true crime? I’ll go to the true crime section of Apple and I’ll get the top five true crime podcasts. This is a fake job and I want it. Hire me now, Netflix.