When they aren’t able to sell audiobooks that are in high demand, potential customers will opt for Audible over their local bookstores. This hurts bookstores because they are consistently missing out on sales for big releases. To reiterate: There are audiobooks being published that bookstores cannot sell, and libraries cannot lend. By limiting distribution, Amazon aids in making books, perspectives, and information inaccessible to certain communities and users. the Great Pumpkin ? February 7, 2019Īudible Exclusives also work in direct opposition to the basic principles of libraries-free access to books, both digital and print. Having the audiobook NOT be an Audible exclusive *big wink* What does this mean for audiobook distribution? They pay authors like Mark Manson ( Love Is Not Enough), Margaret Atwood ( The Handmaid’s Tale), and Alice Walker ( The Color Purple) giant sums to keep their audiobooks exclusive to Audible, and prevent bookstores and libraries from selling and distributing them. Within the ACX world, Audible Studios is the production arm of Audible. The ACX system rewards exclusivity, so it’s easy to see why authors and publishers spring for this opportunity. If a creator wants to distribute their audiobook to other audiobook platforms or libraries, they will earn 15% to 20% less of retail sales from ACX. more money from audiobook sales) if they opt for Exclusive distribution. Why do these parties choose this option? ACX offers higher royalties to creators (i.e. The decision to make an audiobook Exclusive is made by authors, publishers, and agents-it depends on who is granted the audio rights to a book. It begins with the Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX), a marketplace launched by Audible in 2011 that connects narrators, authors, agents, publishers, and rights-holders to create audiobooks. This is going to get a little technical, but stick with us. How does an audiobook become an Audible Exclusive? No other retailers or providers can sell or distribute the digital audiobook, including bookstores and libraries.īooks should be equally accessible to all, and Audible Exclusive audiobooks-also known as Audible Originals-are the antithesis of that. It means that the audiobook in question can only be sold through Amazon’s Audible. It does not store any personal data.We all know amazon is evil, but did you know that when a book becomes an audible exclusive, libraries cannot buy copies of that audiobook? did you know that capitalism is the enemy of accessibility?- Alyssa June 10, 2020įor Audible listeners, the yellow band on a book cover reading “only from Audible” facilitates a feeling of access to premium content, but for the rest of the book world, it’s an access barrier.
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