Amazon Recruits Comedians, Engineers for Expanding Audio Service

Amazon.com Inc. is ramping up its investment in podcasts and other radio-style shows to expand the types of programming it offers via Audible, the audio book company it acquired in 2008.Audible has recruited well-known comedians, along with radio and podcast producers for the initiative, and job postings suggest a significant global push. Maria Bamford and Jonathan Katz are taping episodes of "Bedtime Stories," a show in which comedians rewrite fairy tales, according to their manager Bruce Smith.Entertainment plays a crucial role in Amazon's effort to push beyond its core business of selling books, laundry detergent and televisions online. The Seattle-based company's original films and TV shows have won critical acclaim and helped increase the appeal of its $99-a-year Prime service, which includes delivery discounts along with video and music streaming. Audible has more than 250,000 audio programs including books and plays, with downloads available for iPhones, Androids and other smartphone systems. Continue reading at AdAge.com Continue reading at 'Advertising Age'

[ Advertising Age | 2016-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #selling books #laundry detergent #tv shows #music streaming

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'Harry Potter' comes to Oyster's all-you-can-read book service

If you're the sort of Harry Potter fan who can't help but read the series again and again, Oyster has a treat in store. The all-you-can-read subscription service has teamed up with Pottermore to carry all of the Harry Potter books, including the Hogw... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2015-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harry potter


Living With My Fear of Amazon, Destroyer of Worlds

I buy a lot of stuff from Amazon. Chances are you do, too.I used to feel pretty good about the e-tailer. Now, increasingly, I feel a little dirty every time I patronize it.For one thing, its nearly yearlong price-setting war with Hachette -- which quietly wrapped up in December with Amazon more... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2015-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book publisher #hachette titles


Audio: A Rights Market Heats Up

The rights marketplace has certainly seen 2015 begin with a bang and nowhere more so than through the glut of audiobook licensing deals being completed. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #rights marketplace


Audiobook service Bardowl to close

Bardowl, the audiobook streaming service that launched to the public in 2012, is to close this week. In an email to subscribers the service noted: “It is with great disappointment that ​I have to tell you that we are closing Bardowl. From next Wednesday your subscription will not renew, and at... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Pursues Education Market with Kindle Textbook Creator

Amazon has launched a new tool for authors to create and sell digital textbooks. But there are questions about royalty rates on higher priced e-textbooks. The post Amazon Pursues Education Market with Kindle Textbook Creator appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #royalty rates


Amazon Kindle Textbook Creator turns authors into teachers (and vice versa)

While ebooks are everywhere, electronic textbooks never really caught on, despite their potential to bring immersive learning at a lower cost. Amazon is trying to change that with the Kindle Textbook Creator, a free app from its newly formed Kindle ... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2015-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #vice versa #electronic textbooks #lower cost #free app


Amazon launches Kindle Textbook Creator

Amazon has launched Kindle Textbook Creator in the US, allowing academics to turn their textbooks into digital editions.  KDP EDU, a new segment of Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), gives educators and authors the online tools to prepare, publish and promote e-textbooks and other educational... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital editions #online tools #educational content


Vimeo, Publishers Partner on VOD Service

Embeddable player and video storefront allows publishers to sell and rent videos from their sites. The post Vimeo, Publishers Partner on VOD Service appeared first on Folio:. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2015-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Luxembourg accused of supplying 'state aid' to Amazon

Luxembourg provided “state aid” to Amazon through its tax arrangements for the company, the European Commission has said in a preliminary finding. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tax arrangements #european commission


Amazon, Subscriptions Hot at DBW 2015

An estimated 1,500 book industry players gathered in New York on January 13–15 for the 2015 Digital Book World Conference and Expo, where talk about Amazon, ebook subscriptions, the growth of the Apple iBooks store, and the rise of self-publishing dominated the conversation. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ebook subscriptions


DBW: Amazon's Grandinetti talks subscription, innovation

In a predictably careful interview at New York's Digital Book World conference between DBW’s Mike Shatzkin and Michael Cader, and Amazon Kindle senior vice-president Russ Grandinetti, earlier today (Wednesday 14th January), the most important moment may have come when Shatzkin suggested that, in... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mike shatzkin #important moment #digital disruption


DBW: Amazon’s Grandinetti 'Cautiously Optimistic' About Kindle Unlimited

Amazon senior v-p Russ Grandinetti was genial and a bit elusive while fielding questions on author discontent and Amazon Publishing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #russ grandinetti #amazon publishing #cautiously optimistic #kindle unlimited


Publishers Are Lining Up Behind ‘Netflix for Books’ Services. But Why?

On Tuesday, Scribd and Oyster both announced partnerships with Macmillan to bring new titles to their ebook subscription services. But how do all-you-can read platforms benefit publishers? The post Publishers Are Lining Up Behind ‘Netflix for Books’ Services. But Why? appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2015-01-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post publishers #announced partnerships


Macmillan titles come to Oyster and Scribd's ebook subscription services

Knock another major publisher off the list of holdouts for ebook subscription services. Oyster announced Tuesday morning that it had reached an agreement with Macmillan to bring 1,000 titles from the publisher and its imprints to Oyster's Netflix-like offering.UPDATE: After this article was... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2015-01-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #major publisher #coming months #back catalog #subscription services #grove atlantic #houghton mifflin


Global Ebook Retailers Race to Beat Amazon into Latin America

Global Spanish-language ebook retailers are racing to capture Latin American readers and bolster ebook sales before Amazon makes a big push into the region. The post Global Ebook Retailers Race to Beat Amazon into Latin America appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #beat amazon #latin america #amazon makes #big push


Take The Fast Company News Quiz: Amazon's Reshuffle, Zuck's Book Club, And More

Show how much you know! Here's our quiz for January 9, 2015.What the heck happened this week? Research says that one of the best ways to solidify new information is to be tested on it. Here's a chance to bolster your knowledge of current events—and earn a special emoji badge. Read Full Story Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2015-01-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book club


Falkirk looks to scrap school library service

Scotland's Falkirk council is consulting on cuts to its school library service (SLS) which managers say would wipe out the service. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon's third party sales 'over 40% of total'

Third party sellers accounted for more than 40% of all items sold on Amazon in 2014, the online retailer has revealed. There are currently more than two million vendors on the online retail site, who sold more than two billion items worldwide last year, including books, clothing and other... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #items sold #products directly #online retailer #including books #mobile devices


Amazon Anonymous in 'Christmas card' protest

Campaign group Amazon Anonoymous has delivered a "Christmas card" to the company's UK boss Christopher North challenging him to pay workers the Living Wage. The card, delivered to Amazon's UK headquarters in Slough yesterday (22nd December) was two metres wide and mimicked the design of an... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon anonymous #pay workers #living wage #uk headquarters


‘Amazon-free’ Christmas campaign diverts reported £5m worth of sales from online retailer

Amazon Anonymous campaigners hand-deliver giant Christmas card to online retailer’s UK headquarters and call for company to pay workers a living wageDisenchanted shoppers have taken over £5m worth of business away from Amazon this Christmas in protest at the internet retailer’s business... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-12-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #internet retailer #uk headquarters #pay workers #5m worth #living wage #holiday season