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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Booksellers raise Amazon monopoly concerns with European Commission

Booksellers have met with European Commission officials to discuss their concerns that Amazon holds a monopoly in the online book market. The booksellers urged the Commission to make sure that consumers will have a rich and diversified online book offering, said Françoise Dubruille, director of... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2014-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harlequin passionately embraces Scribd's ebook subscription service

Harlequin, the world's most famous English-language romance fiction publisher, is joining the "Netflixication" of ebooks. For the next year, Scribd will be the exclusive subscription partner for Harlequin and its various imprints. The deal will bring 15,000 titles from the Harlequin backlist to... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2014-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors Guild Calls for Antitrust Scrutiny of Amazon

In a message circulated to members, and shared with the public, the Authors Guild today confirmed that it hosted a meeting on August 1 between a group of authors and the Department of Justice, in an effort draw antitrust scrutiny of Amazon's practices. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Shares Details on Crowdsourced Publishing Program

In an email to authors, Amazon officials shared more details on its recently announced American Idol-style crowdsourced publishing platform. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Publishing Taps Myers

Dominic Myers, previously managing director of Waterstones in the U.K., became head of Amazon Publishing in Europe effective September 22. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors will fire back at Amazon with calls for a government investigation

If you've been following the protracted war between Amazon and Hachette, you know that Amazon's been stymieing sales of certain books by making it impossible to pre-order them, and pushing back delivery of others all over a ebook contract dispute.... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Magazine Metrics Expand Beyond Ad Pages to Digital

For decades, ad pages were one of the key metrics for gauging the overall health of a magazine. But as magazine brands have come to encompass more than just a printed product, publishing industry insiders have been looking for new data that better reflect those changes. This week MPA–The... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2014-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon, Perseus Reach New E-book Deal

According to several sources, the Perseus Books Group has completed negotiations over new ebook terms with Amazon. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Debuts Kindle Unlimited in the U.K.

Amazon U.K. launched Kindle Unlimited, Amazon’s ebook subscription service, in the U.K. today with a 30 day free trial. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon brings Kindle Unlimited ebook subscriptions to the UK

Whether we like it or not, Amazon nearly always launches its new products and services in the US first. It happened with its Fire-branded tablets, set-top box and smartphone. The same can be said for its all-you-can-read ebook service, Kindle... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-09-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Comic David Mitchell rails at Amazons cynical life-crushing business style

Online giant operates a rapacious near monopoly, the Observer columnist and Peep Show star tells Booksellers conferencePeep Show star David Mitchell blasted the monopolistic, cynical and frankly life-crushing way that Amazon operates to a roomful of booksellers.The comedian was giving the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-09-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Launching New Crowdsourcing Publishing Program

After rumblings surfaced that Amazon is creating a new crowd-sourcing publishing platform, the e-tailer has confirmed that the new program is "in the works." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BA conference: David Mitchell lambasts 'rapacious' Amazon

Comedian David Mitchell has slammed Amazon as "benefit scroungers" in a barnstorming... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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NAIBA 2014: Taking on Amazon

The keynote address, a conversation between Franklin Foer and Andrew Keen, looked at how the mega-retailer has changed the dynamics by turing "the citizen" into "the consumer," and trying to position booksellers as "dinosaurs." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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SIBA 2014: Pietsch, Patterson Dance Around Amazon Dispute

At a Saturday lunch at SIBA's regional fall show, HBG USA CEO Michael Pietsch and bestselling author James Patterson touched lightly on the ongoing negotiations with Amazon and both men thanked indie booksellers for their support. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Rolls Out New and Upgraded Tablets, E-readers

Amazon is rolling out an upgraded suite of tablets that includes an enhanced 8.9-inch Kindle HDX ($379), a new tablet designed for children ($149), and a new Kindle HD tablet ($100). Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Gives KU Authors $2.7M Bonus

Kindle Direct Publishing "All-Stars," which includes the top 100 authors and top 100 books, will split a multi-million dollar incentive. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Kindle's new old bug could expose your account credentials

A security flaw in Amazon's Kindle software could allow hackers to access your Amazon account details. Benjamin Daniel Musser, a security researcher, discovered the issue, which arises when downloading ebooks from websites other than Amazon itself. The "Manage Your Kindle" page contains a... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2014-09-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon 'readying Kindle Voyage'

Amazon is said to be readying the release of a new, smaller and thinner Kindle device called the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-09-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bestselling authors write to Amazon's board over 'ugly' Hachette sales dispute

Group representing Donna Tartt, Stephen King and others says Amazon tactics have driven sales down by at least 50%Some of the worlds most famous authors escalated their heated dispute with Amazon on Monday, publishing a letter to retailers board warning of the ugly history of blocking book... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-09-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #stephen king #hachette authors #publishers sales