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Audible Enters UK Market, Bolsters European Presence

Audible.com is proving that there’s a lot more to spoken word than just talk. The opening of Audible UK (audible.co.uk) on Wednesday was just the latest in a string of initiatives announced earlier this year by the digital audiobook powerhouse. "With digital music taking the UK by storm and a deep cultural appreciation for the spoken word, we wholeheartedly believe that spoken word downloads will be the next big thing for MP3 users," said Audible CEO and chairman, Donald Katz. Audible has good reason to be optimistic: so far this year they have inked a deal with XM Satellite Radio, started wireless delivery and increased their customer base by 115 percent. The UK site joins existing German and French sites, both launched in late 2004. As an incentive, new customers signing up for a year subscription will receive a free digital audio device.



Audible is well positioned in the growing spoken word market and is being energized by podcasting, which offers user control and portability not seen before in radio. Savvy partners like XM Satellite Radio—who will deliver Audible downloads though next-generation receivers, and Apple—who will soon support podcasting in its new iTunes release, see the link between spoken word and time-shifted radio. And by adding wireless delivery, Audible is ready to make the jump to cell phones and wireless-enabled MP3 devices. The revolution may not be televised, but it’s coming through, loud and clear.



Story by news analyst Michael Bloom.