Digitization and professionalization have significantly raised the profile — and sales — of audiobooks in Germany. By Amanda DeMarco If you want to send a German into a nostalgic childhood revery, just bring up The Three Investigators audio dramas (Die Drei???, Die Drei Fragezeichen). Audiobooks and dramas have long been popular for children in Germany, but in the last five to …
Translations Center’s New Audio Archive Features 20+ Translators and Authors
By Edward Nawotka The Center for the Art of Translation has redesigned their audio archive so it’s easier to use. You can now listen to more than 20 translators and writers talking about their craft, from Edith Grossman to Natasha Wimmer. Don’t know who they are? It’s okay, this is a great place to start learning more. The Center’s latest post …
German Flip-Flopping on Translator Compensation Angers Everyone
By Siobhan O’Leary A recent ruling by Germany’s Federal Court of Justice has both German translators and publishers up in arms regarding translator compensation. The Bundesgerichtshof has ruled that German translators are now entitled to claim 20% of the net income earned by the author of the original language edition for any ancillary rights sold, including German paperback and audiobook …
Which E-book Enhancements Do You Prefer?
By Edward Nawotka Today’s lead article reveals that just 7% of the 600 publishers surveyed by Aptara are enhancing e-books. Enhancements can take a variety of forms. Some involve the use of multimedia, such as audio narration and film clips embedded in the text. Others are more simple, such as the inclusion of authors interviews, reading club questions and sample …
The Digital Innovators: Henry Volans of Faber Digital
The third in our series of video interviews with digital innovators from the UK features a discussion with Henry Volans, head of digital development at Faber.
Argon Fails to Raise Euros for Cory Doctorow Audiobook
By Siobhan O’Leary As we reported last month, German audiobook publisher Argon recently launched an experiment to see if it could raise 9,000 euros in three weeks to finance an unabridged audiobook of Cory Doctorow’s book Little Brother that would be available for free online under a Creative Commons license. Well, it didn’t go so well. The publisher was only …
Publishing Paradox: Germany’s Random House Audio Starts Print Imprint
By Siobhan O’Leary Plenty of trade publishing groups have launched their own audio divisions, but now, turning the tables, Random House Audio in Germany is starting its own printed book line. According to the Boersenblatt, the new imprint, Tag & Nacht (Day & Night) will release its first three titles in September and will focus on “modern, intelligent entertainment” (both …
Argon Verlag Solicits Donations to Release Unabridged Doctorow Audiobook
By Siobhan O’Leary The German audiobook publisher of Cory Doctorow’s book Little Brother is launching unusual effort in the hope of raising enough money to release a free unabridged version of the book under a Creative Commons license. Argon Verlag already has plans to publish a 6-CD abridged version that will retail for €19.95, but is trying to raise 9,000 …
Lubbe Fighting Lost Symbol Piracy
By Siobhan O’Leary German publisher Lübbe is taking a hardline approach to piracy, particularly with regards to the audiobook version of Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol (Das verlorene Symbol). The Waldorf Chancery in Munich — a staff of attorneys specializing in copyright law — has been asked to send out warnings to individuals who illegally download the audiobook from filesharing …