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 ]
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Spring 2017 Audio Announcements

Boom is still the word where audiobooks are concerned, as a new season of releases arrives. Our listing of upcoming audio titles reflects the wide variety of new projects scheduled for the season. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Media Sales Rose 7.5% in 2016 at Amazon

Total media sales increased 7.5% in 2016 at Amazon, hitting $22.2 billion. Media now represents only 17.6% of total revenue at the company. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon to fund legal challenge to Trump travel ban

Amazon is funding a legal challenge against US president Donald Trump's controversial "travel ban" on behalf of its employees in the US and around the world who could be affected. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Canada’s Shelfie, Formerly BitLit Media, Is Shutting Down Its Service

Catching industry observers off-guard, Shelfie—the Canadian bundler of ebooks with customers' print editions—quietly announces its service is folding. The post Canada’s Shelfie, Formerly BitLit Media, Is Shutting Down Its Service appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple joins Amazon, Google and Facebook in AI research group

Apple published its first paper on AI last month and now the company is set to join five others in a newly-formed research group. The Partnership on AI announced today that Apple would become its sixth founding member, adding to a lineup that already... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2017-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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German Publishers Association Cheers EC Commitments from Amazon: ‘Another Victory for Publishers’

Perhaps nowhere is there such a jubilant response to the European Commission's pressure on Amazon than in Germany. The Börsenverein hails the week's events. The post German Publishers Association Cheers EC Commitments from Amazon: ‘Another Victory for Publishers’ appeared first on Publishing... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book trade cautiously welcomes Amazon's new ebook deal

The book trade has generally welcomed Amazon’s new ebook offer, but questioned the five year cap for the new deal and raised concerns over whether it will hold in the UK in a post-Brexit world. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook and Amazon among businesses to sign literacy pledge

More than 50 businesses, including Facebook, Amazon and Experian have signed this year’s Vision for Literacy Business Pledge, orchestrated by the National Literacy Trust. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Children’s ebook subscription service launches

Technology business Moondog Books has launched a subscription service for children's ebooks with titles from HarperCollins, Bloomsbury and Disney. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon reportedly to drop MFN clauses from ebook deals

Amazon has offered to drop the Most Favoured Nation clauses from its ebook contracts, following a European Commission investigation into the online retailer’s deals, it has been reported today.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers urged to respond to Amazon's new ebook offer

The European Commission (EC) has confirmed that Amazon has offered to remove controversial Most Favoured Nation (MFN) clauses in ebook contracts and is asking publishers for feedback on the pledges. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Faber expands into education with new series

Faber is launching new educational editions of its books for students at GCSE, IGCSE and A Level in close collaboration with authors Kazuo Ishiguro, Alan Bennett and Michael Frayn. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Gaiman and Pratchett's Good Omens to premiere with Amazon Prime in 2018

Neil Gaiman's TV adaptation of Good Omens (Transworld), written with Sir Terry Pratchett, has been picked up by Amazon Studios for worldwide release in 2018. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nielsen's US book services acquired by NPD

The American data and market insights company NPD has acquired Nielsen's US book industry services. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google Is Developing a Cloud-Based Measurement Service for Advertisers

Google has begun developing a cloud-based measurement tool that it says could help advertisers gain more insights while protecting privacy across devices. In a blog post published today, Google said it's working with measurement companies such as comScore, DoubleVerify, IAS, Moat and Nielsen... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2017-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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NPD Buys Nielsen's Book Services

The market research firm NPD Group's acquisition includes Nielsen's U.S.-based BookScan, PubTrack Digital, and Books & Consumers services. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-01-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Industry Changes: Nielsen Book’s US Services Sold to NPD Group

Offering employment to existing US Nielsen Book employees, the Nielsen Book practice becomes NPD Book in the new acquisition. The post Industry Changes: Nielsen Book’s US Services Sold to NPD Group appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-01-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sourcebooks Expands Children's Program in Deal with March 4th

Sourcebooks has struck a deal with March 4th that will add 25 frontlist and backlist titles from March 4th's Little Pickle Press imprint to its children's nonfiction publishing program. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Torfaen libraries threatened with 2.5 day service reduction

Two libraries in Torfaen, Wales, could see their book loan services reduced to just two-and-a-half days per week in order to help make £250,000 worth of savings, the South Wales Argus has reported. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook Expands Instant Articles to Help Users Discover More of the Publisher's Content

In a move likely meant to stay on publishers' good side, Facebook is trying out a new way to help users discover more news (real news). Starting Thursday, Facebook will let nearly a dozen publishers—including BuzzFeed, El Pais, Fox News and The Washington Post—include more than one Instant... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2017-01-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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