When is a book not a book? When it is performed by a starry cast of hundreds. Except it has always been more complicated than thatNews this week of a 17% hike in the UK’s audiobook sales might seem like a niche business story, but it raises an existential question. What exactly is an audiobook today? Is it a book? Is it a play? Or is it becoming something else entirely? What is clear is that a jostle for market dominance is driving it into new dimensions. The streaming platform Spotify followed its move into podcasting two years ago with the launch of an audiobooks business. Though it has yet to start making its own recordings, last autumn it made a deal for 200,000 audiobooks to be available to its premium users.Not to be outdone, Amazon-owned Audible – accustomed to being the market leader – upped its game, hiring the Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes to record multi-voice versions of the Dickens novels Oliver Twist and David Copperfield, and announcing last month that it had reached an agreement for a recording of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series, voiced by more than 100 actors and featuring a “groundbreaking new soundscape”. The new Potter audiobooks, it said, would not usurp but “sit alongside and complement” conventional recordings by Stephen Fry and Jim Dale, which Audible also hosts. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2024-05-10 17:25:03 UTC ]
The actor, known for playing Hagrid in the Harry Potter franchise and Fitz in the series Cracker, has died aged 72. Continue reading at BBC News
[ BBC News | 2022-10-14 18:09:44 UTC ]
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Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane, who played a forensic psychologist on the TV series Cracker and Hagrid in the Harry Potter movies, has died. Continue reading at CBC
[ CBC | 2022-10-14 17:36:32 UTC ]
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From early comedy in Tutti Frutti to damaged psychologist Fitz, via Hagrid, Falstaff, Blackadder and finally National Treasure’s complex, hard-to-hate lead, Coltrane – who has died aged 72 – was a one-off“You’re a wizard, Harry!”For an entire generation all over the world, this was the key... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2022-10-14 17:08:39 UTC ]
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BookBeat, based in Sweden, is offering usage-time audiobook subscriptions in both its new markets, Italy and Spain. The post Audiobooks: Bonnier’s BookBeat Opens in Spain and Italy appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-10-12 19:40:00 UTC ]
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Landover, Md.-based audiobook publisher RBmedia has continued its push in the international market with the acquisition of John Verlag’s German-language audiobook catalog. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-06 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Spiracle will feature titles from independent presses, while last month, Spotify also began offering audiobooks to US customersA new audiobook platform which aims to create a “lovely, welcoming, independent bookstore kind of vibe” has launched, as audio giant Spotify also enters the fast-growing... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2022-10-03 18:09:30 UTC ]
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The Stockholm-based audiobook corporation Storytel, in association with some of French publishing's biggest players, goes live in France. The post Storytel Rolls Out Its Audiobook Service in France appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-09-27 10:14:35 UTC ]
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Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes while recording audiobooks? Six prolific audiobook narrators gave us the inside scoop. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-09-23 10:31:00 UTC ]
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With more than 300,000 audiobook titles available to purchase a la carte, Spotify says this is ‘just the beginning.’ After taking on Apple and Pandora, Spotify appears to be setting its sights on Amazon.Read Full Story Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2022-09-20 17:05:45 UTC ]
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Getting an e-reader can do wonders for bookworms struggling with library management. (Physical space is a finite and precious resource, as we all found out during the pandemic.) You don’t even have to spend that much either, as today’s entry-level options pack a slew of features. Case in... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2022-09-13 15:01:41 UTC ]
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I wasn’t sure Marvel could shoehorn its characters and stories anywhere else, beyond all the movies, TV shows, games and toys, but now it wants you thinking about those heroes wherever you go. It’s teamed up with Pokémon Go developer Niantic to create an augmented reality mobile game launching... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-09-12 11:15:39 UTC ]
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In his new book with Rebecca Giblin, 'Chokepoint Capitalism,' Cory Doctorow explores how large companies have positioned themselves between consumers and creatives and with a new Kickstarter campaign once again takes aim at the world's dominant audiobook platform. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-09-09 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Today's edition of Daily Deals is sponsored by the audiobook edition of Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney.`the audiobook edition of Daisy Darker by Alice... Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-09-01 14:38:14 UTC ]
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Today’s edition of Daily Deals is sponsored by The It Girl by Ruth Ware, audiobook read by Imogen Church.`THE IT GIRL by Ruth Ware, audiobook read by Imogen Church`https://bit.ly/3JZja4D`https://bookriot.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/the-it-girl-audiobook-300x300.jpeg.optimal.jpeg` Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-08-28 10:30:00 UTC ]
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Literary world riven by conflict as trade union is accused of inappropriately taking sides in culture warIt is a literary row that threatens to consume the very organisation set up to protect authors’ rights. And, in spite of the involvement of three prominent names in children’s books, it has... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2022-08-21 09:00:05 UTC ]
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PlayStation’s game-streaming scheme, at its top tier, is now competing directly with Xbox Game Pass, the service that proved the concept by earning 25 million-plus subscribers over the past five years. It’s now been over a month since PlayStation Plus Premium went live, offering similar cloud... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-08-15 11:15:56 UTC ]
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Three of the sport’s governing bodies recently announced that they’re officially changing the name to “quadball,” both out of trademark concerns and a desire to distance themselves from Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling in light of her... Continue reading at CBC
[ CBC | 2022-08-13 08:00:00 UTC ]
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Try as it might, Hogwarts Legacy developer Avalanche Software can't magically make its creation arrive any sooner. In fact, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has once again delayed the game, which at least now has a firm release date. It will hit PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-08-12 18:52:47 UTC ]
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'Pooling our energies even more to focus on audio,' Bookwire announces a restructured unit for audiobooks and podcasting. The post Germany’s Bookwire Reorganizes Its Audiobook Approach appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-08-08 14:22:34 UTC ]
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Ever tried this audiobook tip? Why it might be worthwhile to let yourself experience the vibes then revisit with more attention. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-07-29 10:36:00 UTC ]
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