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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The Audio Book Is Eligible

To listen to the Audio Book Club discussion of Eligible, click the arrow on the player below. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2016-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Udacity expands into Germany

Online learning provider Udacity has launched its education and training platform in Germany. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Daunt deems Amazon’s tax affairs 'unconscionable'

Waterstones m.d. James Daunt has said Amazon is undercutting his business because of the “unconscionable” way it exploits the tax system. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tax affairs #james daunt #tax system


BookCon Expands to New York Comic Con in Fall 2016

BookCon, the literary fanfest, will become a part of New York Comic Con 2016 in October; held during the 4 days of NYCC at a separate event space nearby and offer access to fans as part of their NYCC badge. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-06-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literary fanfest #offer access


'Biggest-selling' self-published book of 2016 lands Amazon deal

Self-published author Adam Croft has been snapped up for a publishing deal by Amazon imprint Thomas & Mercer after releasing what he says is the biggest-selling book by a self-published author in 2016. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Top-Selling Audio Downloads in 2016

To provide a picture of what’s doing well in the hot-as-ever digital download arena, several publishers shared with us their top-selling digital audio titles for the year to date. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Audio download chart, April 2016: Train is the top track

Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train (Random House) has supplanted Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Pottermore) at the top of April’s Audible Audio Download Chart, claiming only its second month at number one. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Comixology Launches Comics Subscription Service

Comixology Unlimited offers subscription access to thousands of comics, graphic novels and manga from independent publishers—there are no titles from DC or Marvel—for $5.99 per month. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Digital Audio Drove 2015 Sales Gains

Led by a 34% increase in sales of digital audio, sales of audiobooks rose 20% in 2015 over 2014, to an estimated $1.78 billion. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bauer Media Expands GumGum Partnership

The In Touch Weekly publisher is the latest to bring GumGum's image-overlaying ad tech to the U.S. market. The post Bauer Media Expands GumGum Partnership appeared first on Folio:. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2016-05-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BBC’s public service remit includes recipes | Letters

The BBC has been in the publishing business, either on paper or online, for its entire 93-year history (Is it really the BBC’s role to publish free recipes for harissa spiced lamb?, 20 May). Why are the Tories suddenly intimidated by this? I thought that capitalism welcomed competition? As a... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-05-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Why is Amazon building bookstores?

The online retail giant has confirmed its second bricks-and-mortar bookstore. Why is it branching out from its Internet domain? Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2016-05-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bezos Confirms Plans for More Amazon Stores

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos told shareholders at the company's annual meeting on Tuesday that the company is "definitely going to open additional stores." Bezos did not, however, specify the number of new outlets Amazon plans to open. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Seth Rogen's Preacher to launch on Amazon UK next week

TV series based on cult comic book stars Dominic Cooper, Joseph Gilgun and Ruth NeggaThe TV series based on cult comic book Preacher is to launch in the UK on Amazon’s Prime streaming service from Monday.The episodes will be released by Amazon in the UK, Austria, Germany and Japan the day after... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-05-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook Is Expanding Its Video Ads With Publishers Like USA Today and Daily Mail

In a major expansion of the Facebook Audience Network, Facebook is now extending its capabilities by adding pre-roll, mid-roll and post-roll video ads for brands advertising on third-party publishers websites and apps. Third-party publishers such as USA Today Sports Media Group and Daily Mail... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2016-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BEA 2016: Comedian Tig Notaro Is Just a Person

Ask any writer, actor, or comedian about their lives, and they all say the same thing: it’s all fodder for their art. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BEA 2016: Audio Publishers Association: Tea with the Authors

Today’s 16th annual Audiobook Tea, presented at BEA by the Audio Publishers Association, features megaselling authors Maggie Stiefvater, Terry McMillan, John Scalzi, and emcee Michael Koryta. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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When you buy digital content on Amazon or iTunes, you don't exactly own it

Buy an ebook on Amazon or an album on Apple's iTunes and you own it, right? Maybe not as much as you think. It's all about what the tech industry calls digital rights management, and the bottom line for consumers is that there are significant differences between owning a tangible product and... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BEA 2016: Big Changes at Westchester Publishing Services

The last two years have seen some major shifts at Danbury, Conn.-based Westchester Publishing Services, a composition and editorial services company with a focus on the trade; academic and scholarly; professional and institutional; and STM publishing markets. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bezos sells 1% of Amazon shares for $671m

Jeff Bezos has sold 1% of his stake in Amazon - which is just over a million shares, at a value of $671m (£465.2m) - the New York Post has reported. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-05-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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