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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Amazon will no longer strong arm ebook publishers in Europe

The European Commission has accepted Amazon's changes to how it sells its ebooks. Following a 2015 investigation over the retailer's anti-competitive behaviour, Amazon said back in January that it would change its ebook contracts, removing clauses t... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2017-05-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #european commission #ebook contracts


Westchester Publishing Services Adds New Unit

Westchester Publishing Services has formed a new division to reach the K-12 educational publishing market and named industry veteran Kevin J. Gray to head the unit. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon profits up 40% in first quarter

Amazon has reported its eighth profitable quarter, with profit up 40%, to $724m (£560.8m) in the first three months of the year. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon to create 1,200 new jobs with new Warrington fulfilment centre

Amazon is creating 1,200 new permanent jobs with the opening of a new fulfilment centre in Warrington. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #permanent jobs #fulfilment centre


Unbound launches audio and podcast arm

Crowdfunding publisher Unbound is to launch a new audio and podcasting arm Unbound Audio.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Revenue From Retail Products Up, in Q1, at Amazon

Sales of retail products at Amazon rose 15% in the first quarter of 2017 over the comparable period last year. Among the many items sold in the sector are print and digital books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #items sold #digital books


Amazon is trying to be your one-stop subscription shop

Amazon's subscription offerings go beyond Kindle Unlimited, Prime and its various add-ons. The retailer has offered magazine subscriptions for awhile too, and now the company has set up Subscribe with Amazon. It's a hub that gives "subscription provi... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2017-04-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle unlimited


Amazon to open retail presence in Australia

Amazon has revealed it will launch a retail arm in Australia after years of speculation. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #retail arm


SAGE and Publons expand peer review partnership

Publisher SAGE has extended its partnership with online platform Publons, following a successful trial. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publisher sage #successful trial


Amazon Opens Second Bookstore In Massachusetts

Amazon's second Massachusetts bricks and mortar opened yesterday, becoming the e-commerce giant's sixth physical bookstore in the U.S. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-04-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Chandler ed-tech company moves into larger office, expands by 60 percent, and continues hiring

Chandler education technology company StrongMind has moved into a larger, custom office, expanded by 60 percent over the last year, and plans to continue hiring this year. StrongMind develops technology and content curriculum for 6th to 12th graders that online schools and blended-learning... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2017-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Cosmopolitan Recruits Editorial Talent From Entertainment Weekly and O Magazine

There's a fun bit of terminology in today's announcement by Cosmopolitan magazine. Meredith Bryan, who started late last month at the Hearst publication as senior deputy editor, news, counts among her duties the creation of 'big "zeitgeist-y" packages.' Love it. Bryan, who spent seven years with... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2017-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Expands Its Cookbook and Lifestyle Programs

With the culinary and lifestyle categories booming, HMH has created a new position to oversee an expansion of its publishing program in those areas. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-04-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Comedian Susan Calman to judge McIlvanney Prize

Scottish comedian Susan Calman is to judge the 2017 McIlvanney Prize for Scottish crime writing, to be presented at Bloody Scotland festival in September. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PRH's Shona Abhyankar joins Amazon Publishing

Amazon has appointed Shona Abhyankar, currently head of PR at Penguin Random House Children’s and formerly senior publicist at Ebury, as publicity lead of Amazon Publishing. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kobo acquires ebook and print bundling service Shelfie

Rakuten Kobo has acquired Shelfie, a service which enables customers to get free or discounted ebook versions of their print books. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon's Stock Price Soars in Q1 2017

With an 18% increase in Amazon's stock price for Q1 2017 over Q1 2016, the tech giant leads the PW Stock Index. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Manchester is 'an indie author hotspot' for Amazon

Amazon has revealed statistics from its Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) programme claiming Manchester as "an indie publishing hotspot". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Get a $20 Discount If You Buy 3 Echo Dots on Amazon, For A Limited Time - Deal Alert

Echo Dot is a hands-free, voice-controlled device that uses Alexa to play music, control smart home devices, provide information, read the news, set alarms, read audiobooks from Audible, and more. In fact, new Alexa "skills" are being created all the time. Tell Alexa to start your usual order at... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2017-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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10 best books of April 2017, according to Amazon's editors

From a new novel by writer Fredrik Backman to a follow-up from 'Lean In' writer Sheryl Sandberg, April has various intriguing options for book lovers. Amazon staff have selected the titles they think are the best to be released this month – check out the full list, with thoughts from Amazon... Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2017-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book lovers #full list