Spotify has once again drawn the ire of the music industry. The National Music Publishers' Association has called on the Federal Trade Commission to examine the streaming service's addition of audiobook content into all of its paid subscription plans. According to the group's FTC complaint, Spotify's recent actions are part of "a scheme to increase profits by deceiving consumers and cheating the music royalty system." This requires some backstory. In November 2023, Spotify announced that it would include 15 hours of audiobook content as part of all its Premium subscription plans. A few months later, the company unveiled a new audiobook-only subscription, offering the same number of listening hours for $10 a month. The publishers' organization claims that Spotify's recent price increases are based on offering that extra audiobook content, and that paying customers are automatically being charged for a service they didn't choose and can't opt out of without switching to the free, ad-supported listening experience. And the additional revenue from the higher Premium subscription costs may not go to the music composers. According to the FTC complaint, Spotify will pay about $150 million less in music royalties over the first year of these new bundled Premium plans. The NMPA letter goes so far as to call the new audiobook-only plan "a sham" that "exists solely to allow Spotify to claim that audiobook content is a significantly and independently valuable aspect of its 'bundled'... Continue reading at 'Engadget'
[ Engadget | 2024-06-12 23:52:55 UTC ]
Amazon Prime Day 2023 is one week away on July 11th, but you don't have to wait until then to get a good deal. The company has started to roll out a few early Prime Day deals before the two-day shopping event officially commences, including, as expected, several discounts on its own devices and... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-07-04 12:48:53 UTC ]
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The former president's lawyers contend that he was speaking in his personal capacity, not as president of the United States, when he gave a series or recorded interviews later used in the 2022 audiobook 'The Trump Tapes.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-07-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon has announced that Prime Day 2023 will begin on July 11th, but you don't have to wait until then to get a good deal. The company has started to roll out a few early Prime Day deals before the two-day shopping event officially commences, including, as expected, several discounts on its own... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-06-30 15:20:45 UTC ]
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Amazon has announced that Prime Day 2023 will begin on July 11th, but you don't have to wait until then to get a good deal. The company has started to roll out a few early Prime Day deals before the two-day shopping event officially commences, including, as expected, several discounts on its own... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-06-23 16:30:09 UTC ]
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Rumors about a Spotify HiFi tier have been around since at least 2017, and the company even announced plans to launch such a feature in 2021 — only to back off the next year. Now, the company may finally be ready to launch a high-fidelity plan (dubbed "Supremium" internally) that would be its... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-06-20 12:38:47 UTC ]
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Storytel invests in ElevenLabs, looking to offer automated audiobook readings and 'voice switching' for users between preferred voices. The post ‘AI Voices’ in Audiobooks: Storytel in ElevenLabs Partnership appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-06-13 21:58:52 UTC ]
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Mariane Féged, director of Spanish markets at Bookwire, highlights three titles that have been especially popular on the service. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-06-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers are developing new strategies and leveraging existing strengths in the ever-evolving audiobook market. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-06-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Audiobook publisher Sean McManus provides tips on how indie authors can benefit from the audiobook boom. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-06-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The Audio Publishers Association finds in its annual report that audiobook sales generated $1.8 billion in the United States in 2022. The post APA Report: US Sees Double-Digit Audiobook Sales Growth for 11th Year appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-06-01 15:27:14 UTC ]
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The Audio Publishers Association’s annual sales survey revealed an 11th straight year of double-digit growth in audiobook sales, with 2022 revenue from reporting publishers up 10%, to $1.8 billion. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-06-01 04:00:00 UTC ]
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'AudioFile' has named the three winners of its annual Golden Voice awards, which honors voice actors who have made significant contributions to audiobook publishing. The recipients are Kevin R. Free, Marin Ireland, and Nicholas Boulton. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-31 04:00:00 UTC ]
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SYNC, an annual summer audiobook program for teens, is back to provide 28 free audiobooks from April to August. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-04-24 10:37:00 UTC ]
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A Publishing Perspectives exclusive: Beat Technology's newest platform is an audiobook and ebook app for Sweden's Adlibris book retailer. The post Norway’s Beat Technology Partners With Sweden’s Adlibris appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-04-13 16:52:02 UTC ]
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Anyone who stares at a screen all day probably doesn’t want to do so when they unwind with a book. But the convenience of getting a new read instantaneously and carrying a full bookcase in your pocket is pretty appealing. Ereaders combine the best of paper and computers, and they’re capable of... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-04-04 13:00:13 UTC ]
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Amazon-owned Audible has started putting ads in audiobooks, potentially indicating a sea change within the industry. The company says it is “conducting limited testing” on a select user base with the advertisements and that this step is currently reserved for non-paying members, giving them... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-03-30 18:54:46 UTC ]
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The winners of 2023 Audie Awards were announced this week. The award honors the best audiobook performances in 26 categories. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-03-30 17:36:40 UTC ]
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The ebook and audiobook distributor Bookwire opens its presence in a seventh country, looking to the United States for new business. The post Germany’s Bookwire Announces Opening a United States Subsidiary appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-03-30 16:58:12 UTC ]
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At the Audio Publishers Association's first in-person Audie Awards ceremony since 2020, Viola Davis's 'Finding Me' took home the prize for Audiobook of the Year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-03-29 04:00:00 UTC ]
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In this in-depth BookBeat review, let’s find out what makes this service better than Scribd for English-language audiobook listeners. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-03-24 10:33:00 UTC ]
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