Audible cancelling podcasting?

[skinmaan]

I saw this article while dutifully searching for freebies for you good folk. It looks like Audible might be phasing out their "Audible Originals" podcast-style offerings that the offered for Channels (and free free, on occasion).

I can confirm that the Amazon-owned audiobook giant announced internally last Thursday that it was eliminating a considerable number of roles within its original programming unit. Sources within the company tell me that the role eliminations span a number of different teams within the unit, but most notably, they include nearly the entire group responsible for Audible’s shorter-form podcast-style programming, like the critically acclaimed West Cork, The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson, and Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel. That group was previously led by former NPR executive Eric Nuzum and his deputy, the public radio veteran Jesse Baker.

I can't say I'll shed a tear for this development. I do like their apparent decision to focus on original audiobooks instead of podcasts.

skinmaan

[EmilyK]

They are available (generally) on audible UK for free purchase.

[skinmaan]

Originally Posted by EmilyK

They are available (generally) on audible UK for free purchase.

Yeah, they are mostly free for members in the US as well. They are also available to most Prime members through Channels (or whatever else they are calling it now). I think the article indicates they are getting out of the business of producing this type of thing as a member perk. I think that Audible introducing the free Audible Originals each month (more of a audiobook perk instead of a podcast perk) is an indication of where they are going instead.