We open December’s News Roundup with the best of the best-of lists followed by a thoughtful take on audiobook naysayers and an uplifting account of vision-impaired creators. A host of new services were announced by Amazon, Spotify, Spines and ElevenLabs. Consumption of audiobooks is up in China, EU drops antitrust probe and the UK debates the fairness of the VAT imposed on audiobooks. In closing, there is no better time than now, as we embark on a new year, to benefit from an audiobook on the virtues of the Japanese concept of Ikigai.

This month, Scribd makes a splash with 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!

This October our thoughts are consumed with hurricane recovery and election polls. Feed your earpods with selections from Appalachian authors and some classic political subjects. Audible, Disney, Spotify and the Frankfurt Book Fair are in the business news this month as well as an update from digital publishing in Vietnam.

This September we share the prospect of growth from the new APA International Summit and through a lively discussion from Harper Collins. Explore the details and debate surrounding Amazon’s announcement of their beta AI voice project and an AI bill headed to the desk of the CA Governor. Read about a comic book adaptation to audio from Macmillan Audio, National Book Tokens, LiveOne audiobook offerings, how listeners consume audio media globally, and how libraries expand their language offerings to create community hubs and more.

The August 2024 news roundup celebrates your listening habits including; children’s read-alongs, walking bookclubs, inspirations for your morning run and immersive experiences. International stories include partnerships in Brazil with telecommunications companies, an award winning Māori title, audiobook donations in Jamaica, awards in India and news of expansion in Germany. Read about what makes a great audiobook and more.