November 2024 News Roundup
This month, Scribd makes a splash with a credit-based model, audiobooks take center stage at NY Comic Con and the Frankfurt Book Fair and award nominations are announced in the UK. Explore global efforts for AI protections and licensing, at the same time new features are released for AI voice production. Growth, opportunities and challenges are explored in the Italian, Middle East and North African markets. High profile titles rock the news with; Cher, Didion, Carter, Nenquimo, and Nica. If that’s too much to retain, keep listening to audiobooks because they can improve your memory!
General News
Audiobooks Take Centerstage at NYCC
Audible brought some of its top creative talents to the stage at New York Comic Con for an ear-opening panel. [Source: mixonline.com]
At 100 years old, Jimmy Carter just received his 10th Grammy Award nomination
Carter has been nominated in the category of Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording for his audiobook titled “Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration.” [Source: wsbt.com]
Listening to Audiobooks is Fun and May Be the Secret to Stronger Memory in Older Adults
Aside from the wonder of engaging with tons of stories and fiction across genres, listening to audiobooks also opens older adults up to communities both online and offline. [Source: worldhealth.net]
Nominations announced for Audio-UK’s 2024 Audio Production Awards
The nominations have been revealed for The Audio Production Awards, sponsored by Audible, which will be held at a gala evening at the BFI on London’s South Bank on November 20. [Source: podcastingtoday.co.uk]
Goods and Gifts for Audiobook Lovers
From mugs to stickers to shirts and headphones, these gifts for audiobook lovers are a celebration of reading with your ears. [Source: bookriot.com]
The business of audiobooks
Scribd to Launch Credit-Based Model, Expand Big Five Partnerships
This restructuring comes with expanded partnerships with all of the Big Five trade publishers. [Source: publishersweekly.com]
EARS Aims to Streamline Global Audiobook Production
Juliana Rueda Gutierrez, a veteran of the Spanish-language audiobook industry, has launched EARS (Entertainment Audio Recording System), a new cloud-based software platform aimed at streamlining audiobook production. [Source: publishersweekly.com]
Frankfurt Book Fair: FEP’s Data ‘Story’ of the European Book Market
Enrico Turrin, Deputy Director of the FEP, says the ‘story’ being told by FEP book industry data shows a stable, post-pandemic book market across Europe. [Source: publishingperspectives.com]
Mondadori’s Miriam Spinnato says audio Production Has Increased Significantly
Spinnato: “The Italian audiobook market is relatively young, and the current catalogue of available audiobooks is still limited. This nascent stage provides ample opportunity for expansion and development, making it a promising area for publishers to invest in.” [Source: publishingperspectives.com]
Abdel-Moneim, co-founder and CEO of Arabookverse, has Ambitious Plans for Audiobooks in Arabic
Despite the market’s growth, challenges persist in the Middle East and North African region. “You have censorship in a lot of countries. You don’t have strong networks for distribution, with small numbers of libraries and bookshops.” explains Abdel-Moneim. [Source: publishersweekly.com]
FEED YOUR EARPODS
Stephanie J. Block Will Co-Narrate the Audiobook of Cher's Memoir
Stephanie J. Block, who won a Tony starring in The Cher Show, is set to co-narrate the audiobook Cher’s memoir. [Source: playbill.com]
Maya Hawke to Narrate Audiobook of Joan Didion's Slouching Towards Bethlehem
The actress and singer brings her signature raspy voice to Joan Didion’s first nonfiction essay collection. [Source: people.com]
RBmedia Publishes Audio for We Will Be Jaguars, Reese’s November Book Club Pick
Nemonte Nenquimo partners with her husband, Mitch Anderson, to dig into generations of the rich oral history of the Waorani tribe, hack away at racist notions of Indigenous peoples, and ultimately reveal a story as abundant, harsh, and vital as the Amazon rainforest herself. [Source: einnews.com]
Technological fantasy: The new vision from audiobook producer Canarit Audiobooks
Israel’s Canarit Audiobooks partners with renowned fantasy author Nica to create cinematic multi-cast adaptations of her popular novels for the Israeli and global markets. [Source: jpost.com]
A.I. News
UK, US Publishers’ Associations Join World AI Statement
An international protest of unlicensed use of copyrighted content by AI systems has gathered more than 13,500 signatories. [Source: publishingperspectives.com]
PRH Audio to work ‘hand-in-hand’ with authors as it trials AI recording methods
Global president Amanda D’Acierno discusses the future of audiobooks, and how PRH Audio plans to use AI to expand its catalogue. [Source: thebookseller.com]
Projects by ElevenLabs enable custom voice assignments and editing for audiobooks
ElevenLabs introduced new features; Projects, to streamline editing and VoiceSwitcher; a feature that allows users to seamlessly switch between AI-generated voices while listening to audiobooks. [Source: testingcatalog.com]
DVDFab unveils Bookfab AI AudioBook Creator to tap into top revenue-generating market
Creators can correct pronunciations and customize text reading rules including; abbreviation assignments, expressivity, prosody, silence gaps, and speech speed tuned for vocal performances in English or Japanese. [Source: notebookcheck.net]
LG U+ will introduce a service that uses its own AI to read books with parents' voices to children
When parents run the Children's Country app to read and record a three-minute fairy tale script, Exy learns the parents' voice. After that, AI parent characters are created. [Source: mk.co.kr]
interviews & podcasts
The Audiobooks Explosion Has Some Roots in Santa Barbara
Voice actors Pamela Dillman and Claudia Dunn sound off on the Talking Section of the Books Biz. [Source: independent.com]
Out of the booth
Voxa and artist Saddo partner for literary-inspired art installation at Bucharest’s main airport
Voxa, Romania's leading audiobook and e-book app, has created an installation that delights both literature lovers and those seeking a moment of inspiration on their journey. [Source: romania-insider.com]