The Spoken World recently presented “The Next Chapter in Audiobooks,” a “live podcast” on LinkedIn. Christopher Kenneally spoke with Robin Whitten, founder of Voices to Know, and Tom Webster, a partner at Sounds Profitable, to learn how changing audience listening habits are shaping what audiobook publishers will produce, and the content that platforms will offer.

Shorter listening sessions, shorter audiobooks. Could it also mean expanded audiences?

Audiobook listening is closely associated with “brand name” platforms, but another driving force in the format’s rising popularity is your public library. According to the new Audio Publishers Association 2026 Consumer Survey, nearly half of listeners have borrowed audiobooks through a digital library app.

On June 23, for a special “live podcast” on LinkedIn, Christopher Kenneally and The Spoken World welcomed guests Heather Booth (Booklist), Sarah Hashimoto, (Library Journal/School Library Journal), Brad Rose (Hoopla Digital), and Jennifer Rubins (Penguin Random House) for a discussion on the role public libraries play to expand access to audiobooks, encourage reading habits in children and adults, and open new pathways into books for communities of all backgrounds.

When people listen to audiobooks instead of reading books in print or digital, does reading itself win or lose?

Duncan Bruce, Director of Audiobook Partnerships and Licensing at Spotify, is helping shape how millions of people discover stories through audiobooks. He tells Christopher Kenneally that innovations like PageMatch, which lets readers move seamlessly between page and audio, and Spotify’s new partnership with Bookshop dot org, are introducing books to wider and younger audiences and even driving renewed interest in physical books.

Adam Fritz, CEO of Pozotron, and Robin Lai with John Marshall Media, tell Christopher Kenneally why audiobook production requires an alignment of AI tools and human expertise.

With publishers facing intense financial pressure in audiobook production, they say, AI-assisted workflows will help to hold down costs and reduce turnaround times.

And when producers automate pre-production tasks, they free up time for creative human work including casting, directing, and storytelling.

Audible’s ambitious new “Audible Story House” in New York City’s lower Manhattan is a three-floor “bookless bookstore” that offers a glimpse into the future of audiobook discovery.

James Finn, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Brand and Content Marketing, tells Christopher Kenneally that the month-long “pop-up” in the Bowery invites visitors to browse “story tiles,” explore immersive listening rooms, and gather around a shared love of audio storytelling.

Recent innovations by audio platform Spotify are makinglistening and reading more appealing to new audiences.

At the Parix Audio Day Conference in Madrid earlier thisyear, Spotify executive Duncan Bruce explained how these new tools redefine engagement with books and audiobooks throughout the day.

The success of audiobooks with consumers has already been transformative for bottom lines across the publishing industry. Next, authors, publishers and readers alike can expect to see audiobooks influence the strategic direction of the global book business.

That’s the takeaway from a pair of keynote presentations at the 2026 Parix Audio Day conference in Madrid.

Survey data challenges a long-standing industry myth that audiobooks compete with books and reading, says Audible’s Barbara Knabe, and independent industry consultant George Walkley details the role of AI in lowering audiobook production costs and ultimately, redefining the listening experience.

As audiobook providers expand into new markets, they confront a basic challenge: Building audio catalogs with strong appeal worldwide.

At the 2026 Parix Audio Day in Madrid, Christopher Kenneally asked three European publishers and an African-wide platform provider about their global development strategies. They spoke about business models and language investment; battles over rights and licensing; and the role of AI in production, marketing, and distribution.

From Paris, Nataly Villena Vega is Head of Editorial at Audiolib, the leading audiobook publisher in France, that is a joint venture of Hachette Livre and Albin Michel.

From Berlin, Julia Balogh is a Business Affairs Specialist for Parkum Publishing, which launched in 2025.

From Copenhagen, Lasse Korsemann Horne is the Publishing Director of Danish-based Saga Egmont and leads the company’s audiobook expansion.

From Accra, Ghana, Ama Dadson is Founder & CEO of AkooBooks Audio, a digital streaming platform for Black/African audiobooks and the spoken word.