Audio
Top audiobook publisher Podium gets into print retail distribution
In 2021, audiobook publisher Podium expanded into ebooks, and just recently it announced print retail services for its stable of authors.
New NPR show featuring authors
New Hampshire’s NPR has debuted a new literary show and podcast, Check This Out.
Audiobook Market Update: Slower Growth Than Usual
But ongoing innovation and opportunities promise to maintain growth.
Big publishers agree to Spotify subscription deal; agents and authors worry about compensation
Last week Spotify announced that it will start giving its premium subscribers 15 hours of audiobook listening at no additional charge.
New podcast: Cover Meeting
Designer Steve Leard has launched a book cover design podcast called Cover Meeting.
Spotify to test audiobook program
The Wall Street Journal reports that Spotify will test a free audiobook trial in the coming months.
Ebook distributor StreetLib partners with Dreamscape Media
Authors who distribute their ebooks through StreetLib now have access to 44 online audiobook platforms.
US audiobook distributor Libro.fm goes international
Best known for partnering with independent bookstores to sell digital audiobooks, Libro.fm has added more than 130 international stores.
Storytel has launched an AI initiative for audiobook narration
Storytel will develop AI voices tailored to Storytel’s market and offer its customers a new feature called VoiceSwitcher.
Audio Originals: Not a Backup Plan for the Print Book You Couldn’t Sell
Editors look for stories most compellingly told on audio; quicker time to market can play a role, too.
New bookish podcast
Lifestyle publication N Magazine, focused on Nantucket Island, has launched a new podcast: Books, Beach & Beyond.
Findaway Voices eliminates distribution fee on Spotify sales
As of May 1, Findaway Voices has eliminated its 20 percent distribution fee for audiobooks purchased on Spotify; authors will
Kobo Plus opens in US and UK
Kobo Plus is so far available in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, the UK, and the US.
Has the time come for ads in audiobooks?
Audible has been testing ads in select audiobooks, podcasts, and original content specifically for non-members.
New publishing podcast: Publishing Rodeo
Two authors seemingly on similar publishing trajectories experienced very different outcomes, and started a podcast to examine why.
Spotify begins selling audiobooks in Canada
Spotify users in Canada can now purchase audiobooks through the service.
Findaway Voices authors worry about machine learning at Apple
A machine learning clause in the Apple terms of service with Findaway Voices has been giving authors and narrators cause for concern.
Association of American Publishers reports 2022 results
According to the AAP, which consists of traditional publishers in various sectors, consumer sales dropped 6.2 percent in 2022 against 2021.
ACX announces reduced prices for audiobooks
ACX, a service used by self-publishing authors to distribute and sell audiobooks on Audible, recently emailed creators about price changes.
Digital book lending grows 10 percent in 2022
OverDrive, the leading distributor of digital books to libraries, recently announced that digital lending increased 10 percent over 2021.
Apple rolls out AI-narrated audiobooks
Apple has launched AI-powered book narration to help authors and small publishers convert their English-language titles into audiobooks.
Storytel increases prices for unlimited listening
The leading digital book subscription service in Europe, Storytel, has launched a new subscription level with a listening cap.
Brandon Sanderson distributes his audio on Spotify, not Audible
Sanderson ran the most successful Kickstarter in history last year for four “secret” novels that will be self-published.
Spotify Seeks to Grow the Audiobook Market
The audio streaming service wants to target casual listeners who have never listened to an audiobook by making the format easier and more convenient to try