The Spoken World

The Audio Publishers Group (part of the UK Publishers Association) and the US-based Audio Publishers Association have published international guidelines for identifying and labeling AI-narrated audiobooks. In his Parix Audio Day keynote presentation, Jon Watt explained why and how the standards were created: to give consumers clear information and allow them to make informed choices when purchasing audiobooks. Jon Watt is Business Development and Business Audio Director at Bonnier Books UK; he is also president of the Audio Publishers Group, part of the UK’s Publishers Association.

Among monthly audiobook consumers in the US, 60% listened to a podcast in the last week. At the 2025 London Book Fair, Audible’s Lisa Higginson and BBC Audio’s Nicola Holloway told The Spoken World’s Christopher Kenneally why authors and publishers should look closely into working with both formats.

Audiobooks are on front stage at the London Book Fair this week. The fastest growing segment of trade book publishing deserves the attention, says Nathan Hull, CSO at Beat Technology, creators of audiobook and ebook subscription apps across Europe. He tells The Spoken World’s Chris Kenneally that all the London programs reflect the soaring state of audiobooks in 2025.

In a keynote address at Parix Audio Day in Madrid on February 13, Amanda D’Acierno, President of Penguin Random House Audio, Global, addressed the worldwide state of the audio publishing industry in 2025. In a follow-up interview with The Spoken World’s Christopher Kenneally, she also offered a forecast for the next generation of audiobook growth.

Amanda D’Acierno was named President of Penguin Random House Audio, Global, overseeing the U.S. audio business and expanding Penguin Random House’s audio publishing worldwide, in August 2024. Since 2008, she has guided the PRH US audio business through a period of strong growth, expanding the audio catalog from 500 titles in 2008 and now publishing nearly 2,000 titles annually.

Luis González, General Director of Fundación Germán Sánchez Ruipérez / PARIX School, led the Parix Audio Day 2025 in Madrid with 250 professionals and 40 speakers from ten countries. González told Christopher Kenneally, host of The Spoken World podcast, why a conference on audiobooks supports efforts to promote reading and the book industry.

Welcome to The Spoken World, a new podcast that brings you the latest global audiobook news, trends and insights. Every other week our host Christopher Kenneally will interview industry leaders, providing inside information about global opportunities, innovations and challenges in the fast-growing audiobook world. The Spoken World podcast will report on all aspects of the $7 billion audiobook industry, including production, distribution, and marketing.  We’ll also feature exclusive recordings and interviews from international book fairs and conferences. From AI-generated narration to immersive soundscapes… new markets to new languages… piracy to platforms… You’ll learn about it first on The Spoken World. Subscribe today on your preferred listening platform or on the web at SpokenWorld.media.