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Good panel session!

The Boon n Bane of Speed Listening! Do u listen to your podcasts or audiobooks sped upto 1.5X? I confess, I almost always do. A habit I learnt from my high schooling son (who began highschool in Covid) so I saw him at home, listening to his assigned videos at double-speeds, and I loved this efficiency hack! Been doing that regularly since then. Also, since most of my speed-listening is during my evening-walks or bike rides - it also ‘primes’ me to walk brisker / bike faster! With my knee-cartilage n hip-bursitis issues now preventing my (old) love of distance-running, I loved this byproduct too! And while fiction books are still read for their sensory n euphonious pleasures by me (so I need my own mental voiceover to ‘read’ them), But my favorite podcasts and audiobooks are mostly all intellectual pursuits (=nonfiction)… so again speed-listening works/worked well for them. But I wonder now: Is there research (on N>1 sample size 😊) on “fast-in/fast-out effect” of such speed listening ? Meaning if u listen at 1.5X, do you retain inversely as much as if you’d heard it at normal speed? My N=3 experience recently 😊 suggests so. I heard one of my favorite podcasts this weekend (#OriginsnEvolution) and last weekend another couple of favorites (#Freakonomics podcast and the book #Disbelief by #DanAriely) at regular speeds. And I find those talks marinating with richer flavor in my mind and me being more reflective and ruminating on them for longer ; than I have on my oft sped-listened audios! Is there any (allied) research on this? What’s been your own experience? And may I also ask: what’s been your broader #audiobooks Vs #readingbooks experience? Pls do share. Picture credit: TheCut

There are a lot of reasons why audiobooks continue to grow in popularity, and the benefits are there for both writers and listeners. Discover why readers and authors both love audiobooks, on our blog. https://bit.ly/3Sew1V3

Spotify's foray into audiobooks has the potential to be a game-changer in the industry. While audiobooks are not a new concept, with Amazon leading the charge, Spotify's approach could disrupt how we consume them. Traditionally, audiobook consumers receive monthly credits to purchase books, which often leads to selecting popular titles over lesser-known works. This model inadvertently creates a barrier for emerging authors to gain visibility. Spotify's new strategy in select regions allows premium subscribers to access audiobooks with a 15-hour monthly allowance. This innovative model promotes a more flexible and exploratory listening experience, fostering a level playing field for both established and up-and-coming authors. Currently, not all books are available under the premium plan, with some big-name authors withholding their titles. As this feature continues to roll out, it will be fascinating to observe whether Spotify can achieve the same level of success in audiobooks as it has in the music streaming industry. What are your thoughts on Spotify's audiobook venture? Can they reshape the market and create new opportunities for authors and listeners alike?" #Spotify #Audiobooks #Amazon #Innovation #Disruption #UserExperience #DigitalMedia #StreamingServices #EmergingAuthors #Storytelling #Reading #DigitalTransformation #ConsumerBehavior #SubscriptionModels

Ever wondered about the differences between Podcast and Audiobook Editing? As someone delving into the world of audio editing, I've been exploring the unique challenges of editing podcasts and audiobooks. Here's what I've learned: Podcast Editing: Podcasts are all about captivating and entertaining the audience. From interviews to storytelling, the content is diverse and flexible. As an editor, my goal is to ensure smooth transitions, enhance audio quality, and sometimes incorporate sound effects and music to enrich the listening experience. Audiobook Editing: Audiobook editing is more about staying true to the written text. It involves maintaining the author's voice and intent while delivering a seamless listening experience. Attention to detail is crucial to ensure clear narration, consistent pacing, and the absence of distractions or errors. My Approach: Passionate about tailoring editing to project needs. Committed to delivering quality results. Which type of audio editing do you find more intriguing, and why? Share your thoughts below! #AudioEditing #PodcastEditing #AudiobookEditing #ContentCreation #LinkedInPost

Spotify has unveiled 2T-HGNN, the system behind its personalized audiobook recommendations. 2T-HGNN comprises two parts working together. One part (HGNN) helps the model to understand how different audiobooks are connected and what you might enjoy. The other part (2T) makes sure everyone gets good suggestions, so it works for all Spotify users. The cool thing is that it's not just for audiobooks. Spotify found that when they mix in podcasts, it makes suggestions even better. This tech is currently being used by millions of Spotify users to personalize their listening experience. _______________________________ Get up to speed on the latest developments in tech with our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gAtxwMTd #techbuzz #techbuzzventures #innovation #technology #spotify #spotifypodcast #spotifypodcasts #spotifymusic #audiobooks #amazonkindle #amazon

A new wave of AI-narrated audiobooks has flooded Audible, Amazon's audiobook platform, with over 40,000 titles generated using the company's virtual voice tool. While this technology offers a cost-effective solution for indie authors to convert their ebooks into audiobooks, it has sparked concerns among professional narrators who fear potential job losses. The influx of AI-narrated titles has also divided listeners, with some criticizing the lack of filtering options on Audible. Major publishers are embracing the technology to produce audiobooks across languages, but controversies have arisen over the use of AI voices seemingly based on real actors' performances without their consent. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dpV_npka #AI #tech #law #wolftheiss

While the explosive growth of podcasting has dominated headlines in the audio world, the audiobooks market has slowly and steadily grown alongside it. Today, the international audiobook industry can claim $5 billion in revenue, while podcasting boasts around $2 billion. So how did this happen? What can podcast creators learn from our colleagues in audiobooks? And how will the two industries blend and collaborate in the future? On this special episode of Podcast Perspectives, Jeff Umbro sits down with Michele C. (Executive Director of the AUDIO PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION and Publisher of AudioFile Magazine ), Landon Beach (independent author who’s adapted his own novels into audiobooks), and Sean McManus (President of Dreamscape Media, an independent audiobook publisher). Hear about… 📚 How the audiobook landscape has transformed over the past decade 📚 The four major business models surrounding the audiobook industry. 📚 How much audio production plays a part in audiobook creation Listen for a great conversation on the future of the audio world here: https://lnkd.in/gJ_XvmXb

Introduction to Audiobooks for Authors

Sparsity in the recommendation system has been an issue forever. 🔄 Spotify faces the same problem with the introduction of audiobooks and documents it in “Personalized Audiobook Recommendations at Spotify Through Graph Neural Networks”. 📚🎧 The paper discusses the challenges faced by Spotify in introducing audiobooks to its vast user base. 🤔 Unlike music and podcasts, audiobooks cannot be easily skimmed before purchase, posing higher stakes for the relevance of recommendations. 🔍💰 The introduction of a new content type into an existing platform confronts extreme data sparsity, as most users are unfamiliar with this new content type. 🆕👥 Recommending content to millions of users requires the model to react fast and be scalable. ⚡📈 To address these challenges, the authors leverage podcast and music user preferences and introduce 2T-HGNN, a scalable recommendation system. 🛠️🎵🎙️ The system comprises Heterogeneous Graph Neural Networks (HGNNs) and a Two Tower (2T) model. 🌐🏗️ Paper 📄: https://lnkd.in/g7fUDBs4 #spotify 🟢 #recommendation 💡