Originally published June 13 2005
Podcasting puts Audible in danger
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Standard & Poor's Equity Research has reiterated a "sell" rating on Audible, an audiobooks service, saying that "podcasting constitutes a growing threat" to the company. S&P notes that many media outlets have begun to offer podcasts, and that there are numerous sources for free content for portable media players.
Standard & Poor's Equity Research has reitereated a "sell" rating on Audible, saying that "podcasting constitutes a growing threat" to the company.
Audible is a service that sells digital audiobooks, audio magazines, newspapers, and radio programs via the Web.
S&P notes that many media outlets have begun to offer podcasts, and that there are numerous sources for free content for portable media players.
I for one certainly cancelled my Audible subscription - now that is so much free (and often better) audio content available.
Aubible is good for long form - but the their magazine business is good as gone.
I buy books from audible, because the product is good.
I will concide podcasting listening competes with audiobook listening, but I don't think it will impact sales of audiobooks, it will just make the consumer alot their listening time more efficiently.
I've been an audible.com subscriber now for about 5 years and while I've been listening to mainly podcasts in the last 6 months or so, I don't see this as being a big threat to Audible as long as they understand it and do something about it, which I think they are - at least based on what Don Katz said in his interview.
I'm not planning to give up my subscription any time soon, but like other times where I've gotten momentarily distracted with current events and wanted to spend all my time listening to NPR, I eventually tire of it and want to listen to something with the substance, art, and detail afforded by a long unabridged book.
I might be a bit biased here but it appears to me that there's an interesting trend where the amount of time people have to consume spoken word audio is growing (people have longer commutes and thanks to iPods can now listen while exercising and doing many other activities).
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