The New York Times to buy Serial Productions to expand podcasts, report says

The New York Times is about to acquire the company behind the popular true-crime podcast “Serial,” reported The Wall Street Journal. A deal to acquire Serial Productions could be announced as soon as Thursday, the Journal reported late Wednesday, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. Serial Productions was reportedly exploring a sale back in January, with The New York Times (NYSE: NYT) among one of the potential buyers, according to the Journal. The Times' media columnist, Ben…