Spotify is in advanced talks to buy the podcast studio Gimlet Media, according to two people briefed on the proposed deal, a move that could help the music streaming service improve its profit margins and reduce its dependence on the major record companies.

The two people spoke Friday on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the talks publicly. Representatives of Spotify and Gimlet Media declined to comment.

Since Spotify went public last year, it has increased its investment in podcasts, once a minor part of its offerings. A deal with Gimlet, the company behind popular podcasts like “StartUp,” “Reply All” and “Crimetown,” would greatly expand that portfolio.

Gimlet, which was founded in 2014 by Alex Blumberg and Matthew Lieber, two veterans of public radio, has also recently moved into television production. “Homecoming,” an Amazon series starring Julia Roberts, is based on a fictional podcast from Gimlet.