Friday Five: Audiobooks, Digital Subscriptions, & Publishing
We’re back with another edition of Friday Five! This week, we talk about the UK audiobook industry growing by 17%, The New York Times increasing digital subscriptions, Amazon launching grocery delivery subscriptions, Ithaka S+R investigating generative AI in scholarly publishing, and daily newspapers taking legal action over AI.
UK Audiobook Industry Grows by 17%
The UK audiobook market saw a 17% increase in downloads and a 24% rise in revenue between 2022 and 2023, showing a growing trend towards audiobook consumption. This reflects a positive trend in the publishing industry, with platforms like Spotify and Audible offering more audiobook experiences. Read More on The Guardian.
The New York Times Increases Digital Subscriptions
The New York Times reported a rise in digital subscriptions and revenue in the first quarter of 2024, adding 210,000 subscribers with a total revenue of $594 million. CEO Meredith Kopit Levien credited the success to strategic bundling, despite a decline in print subscriptions. Read More on Subscription Insider.
Amazon Launching Grocery Delivery Subscription
Amazon is introducing a new grocery delivery subscription service for both Prime members and EBT cardholders. This subscription offers unlimited deliveries on orders over $35 for a monthly fee, aiming to make grocery delivery more accessible and convenient. Read More on TheVerge.
Ithaka S+R Investigating Generative AI in Scholarly Publishing
A new study by Ithaka S+R investigates the impact of generative AI on scholarly publishing. Though they believe this technology can potentially revolutionize research writing, it also raises ethical concerns about the trustworthiness of AI-generated content. Read More on Inside Higher Ed.
Daily Newspapers Take Legal Action Over AI
Eight newspapers, including The New York Daily News and The Chicago Tribune, are suing OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging copyright infringement for using articles to train chatbots without permission. The complaint states the chatbots show full articles without proper attribution, ultimately reducing newspaper subscription revenue. Read More on The New York Times.