Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

Audible Celebrates First UK Anniversary

-UK citizens download half a million audio hours-

Audible Ltd. is celebrating its first twelve months as the UK’s leading provider of digital spoken entertainment and information – a year in which UK citizens have downloaded and listened to over half a million audio hours.

Launched in June 2005, www.audible.co.uk, now offers the UK’s biggest selection of audio products. 9,500 spoken books and a further 20,000 other products, spanning celebrity podcasts and one-off shows, through to spoken newspapers and journals, are currently available.

A survey commissioned to mark the company’s first year in the UK has revealed that 66% of its users would rather listen to audio books than watch TV. It is clear that audio books are also good for your health – 83 per cent of users believe that listening to audio products relieves stress levels.

Figures also show that Audible listeners are using audio books to utilise their downtime – 70 per cent use Audible products because they can do other things whilst listening to them.

Almost 30 per cent listen whilst commuting or travelling to work and 40 per cent whilst lying in bed, others listen whilst doing everyday activities such as gardening and housework, exercising and even working.

Listeners also use the service to complement their existing appetite for printed books – 80 per cent of users continue to buy the same number of printed books or more since shopping with Audible.

Chris McKee, MD of Audible Ltd said: “Our research proves that digital audio products are the perfect solution for busy people leading hectic lifestyles. Audible allows listeners to consume their favourite programmes or audio books when they wouldn’t normally be able to – be that in the gym, whilst driving or simply doing housework.”

In the last twelve months www.Audible.co.uk has received 1.5million unique visits by users who have completed 300,000 downloads. Over 32 million minutes of spoken content has been downloaded – enough to keep 333,000 people commuting between Oxford and London occupied* or provide 250,000 Barcelona-bound travellers with in-flight entertainment.**

McKee adds: “With such an innovative range of products, it’s no wonder that between them our listeners have downloaded an incredible amount of spoken content over the last twelve months. To date we’ve launched some very exciting material that UK listeners simply cannot get hold of elsewhere – a strategy that we will build on as we go forward into our second year.”

Audible listeners have been treated to a number of UK firsts including, ‘Freakononmics’ – the UK’s first download only product; ‘Sex on Legs’ – the UK’s first ever previously unpublished straight to audio book and the very first ongoing digital download of a national daily newspaper.

-Ends-

For more info please contact the Audible Press Office at Cow PR on (tel) 0207 684 6969 or (e-mail) audible@cowpr.com

Notes to Editors

* Based on the AA Route Planner’s suggested 1hr 30min journey time between London and Oxford
** Based on the average two hour flight time between London and Barcelona