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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Berrett-Koehler Grows its Subscription Service

Berrett-Koehler has added titles from New World Library to its b-to-b digital subscription service, BKpedia. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Audio Book Club Meets Lab Girl

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

[ Slate | 2016-05-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Gurr to replace North at helm of Amazon

Amazon’s China country manager Doug Gurr will move to the UK to replace Christopher North at the helm of the e-commerce giant this May. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-04-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Posts a $1 Billion Profit

Helped by a strong performance in its cloud services group, Amazon reported an operating profit of $1.1 billion in the first quarter ended March 31, 2016 compared to $255 million in the 2015 first quarter. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-04-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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China shuts down two Apple services

China has shut down Apple's online book and movie services as it imposes strict rules governing what can be published on the net. Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2016-04-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The MPA, the Postal Service, and the Battle for Affordable Shipping

The publishing industry scored a victory when the Postal Service's exigency surcharge was rolled back, but the struggle is far from over. The post The MPA, the Postal Service, and the Battle for Affordable Shipping appeared first on Folio:. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2016-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Lands Major Account: New York City Public Schools

Amazon has struck a major deal with the New York City public school district to provide ebooks to its students. The deal is reported to be worth $30 million. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #major deal #provide ebooks


Amazon launches £269 Kindle Oasis

Amazon has announced its thinnest and lightest e-reader, the Kindle Oasis, "designed to feel weightless". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-04-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon's latest Kindle skinny but expensive

Will loyal fans of ebooks be willing to pay tablet prices for dedicated e-readers? Amazon is about to find out. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2016-04-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon's Kindle Oasis: The Highest-End High-End Kindle So Far

For years, the conventional wisdom about Amazon's Kindle e-reader was that the company, which likes to say that it wants to make money when customers use its products, would eventually make buying ebooks irresistible by offering a Kindle e-reader for free. But Amazon has refused to play along.... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2016-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon's high-end Kindle Oasis is sleek, sharp and pricey

Jeff Bezos probably wasn't pleased to see his surprise spoiled this week, but ebook fans still have reason to get pumped. Amazon just pulled back the curtain on its new premium reader, the Kindle Oasis, and it's the slimmest and sleekest model the c... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2016-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook levels up its live streaming service with new video tab and developer tools

Facebook is doubling down on its investment in video with a new tool that will help hardware makers build devices to stream live to the social networking service. The new Facebook Live API will let publishers and hardware makers build tools that connect with the social network's live video... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2016-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Introduces Kindle Oasis Premium E-reader

The Kindle Oasis is the eighth edition of Amazon's Kindle e-reading devices and is designed to be lighter, thinner and offers a new dual battery system. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Daunt: 'Amazon defines how Waterstones acts'

Amazon “defines” how Waterstones behaves, James Daunt, m.d. of Waterstones has said, but he added that a really good high street bookshop was "addictive" and could not be replicated online. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Audio Book Club Reads When Breath Becomes Air

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

[ Slate | 2016-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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London Digital 2016: Digital and E-learning Solutions from Cenveo Publisher Services

Technology by itself does not produce compelling digital and e-learning solutions. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pan Mac brings Peter James audio in-house

Pan Macmillan has bought audio rights to 11 books from bestselling author Peter James, in a move to consolidate his audio publishing within the publisher. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook Live video service sees company paying news publishers

Payments to BuzzFeed and others reflects Facebook’s desire to ensure Live has sufficient engaging contentFacebook is paying news publishers and broadcasters, including the New York Times, BuzzFeed and Sky, to provide content on its live video service.Video has become a priority for Facebook and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon CEO hints at new, high-end Kindle

Amazon.com chief executive Jeff Bezos said that his company is about to debut a new version of the Kindle ebook reader. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2016-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PA plans to recruit 10,000 'Reading Ambassadors'

The Publishers Association is urging members of the public to "share their love of reading" by volunteering to become Reading Ambassadors in their local communities. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-04-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishers association #urging members #local communities