While I wait for the publishing world to catch the tide of audio textbooks, I wait patiently for solid numbers that prove this market will boom. But this genre has barely launched, and bankable numbers just do not exist yet. Short of persuading a research university to produce an unbiased and statistically reliable study--hey, I'm working on it--I'm left to extrapolate from other data that students are ready to embrace audio-based learning.
Consider these podcast numbers, including the fact that the audience for audio podcasts grew 38 percent last year. Podcasts, quite frankly, are a bit of a hassle. You install feed readers, you subscribe, you connect devices, you sync devices, and finally you can listen to what you grab. And then do it all over again. Admittedly, an MP3 player audiobook requires the same waltz, but just once. If people are willing to consume information in a format that requires frequently repeatable data download action, they ought to be even more amenable to material you need load only once.
The Podcasting News article focuses chiefly on advertising, which has seemingly little to do with an audiobook audience. Except for this: "Podcast users are far more likely to have attained at least a college degree, and are also more likely to live in households earning in excess of $75,000 per year, than Americans who have not consumed podcasts."
To summarize, the chief audience for audio textbooks--collegians--are the audience most friendly to consuming information through earbuds. Oh yeah, and these people make decent money. Publishers, start your initiatives!
Great thoughts - and thanks for visiting my blog. When I'm not reading a book, I'm listening to one. I had never considered textbooks as an area of expansion. There is definitely room for publisher expansion in this area. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on your ideas. Thanks again.
Posted by: Ray Carroll | June 23, 2008 at 07:40 PM