Audio Books in Australia

The Current Market

In South Australia, the concept of "media" retail stores is not strongly established. ABC Shops and "Koorong" Christian media stores are amongst the few that handle a range of media products including, books (hard copy), Audio Books, video (DVD and VHS tape) and soft copy (computer software). The recorded music shops handle CDs and a smaller range of music DVDs. The bookstores are not yet demonstrating the availability of similar products in media other than hard copy (books) even though many books are also available as Audio Books or e-books. 

South Australian Libraries focus on books and have small selections of CDs, cassette tapes, VHS tapes and DVDs. 

Audio Books (the spoken word) are often derived from printed books (the printed word) as either:

• abridged (key passages from the book)

• unabridged (the whole book)

Some Audio Books are compiled specifically for that format. Nightingale Conant, Simon and Schuster Audio and Time Warner Audio have many of this type. 

Other Audio Books would be more accurately described as audio compilations, made up of a mixture derived from:

• printed word -  a studio recording of the narrator reading the text from a book, 

• audio presentations - the studio recording of the narrator addressing the listener and 

• audio clips from live presentations - the narrator addressing an audience that the listener is a part of.  

The Advantage of Audio Books

Audio Books had a solid market presence as audio cassette tape format. Motivational speakers from the "self improvement" market sector expanded their range of influence by providing cassette tape sets. The products that were once available as cassette tape sets are now available as CD sets. CDs are physically more durable and unlike audio cassettes can be played many times without degrading noticeably. CD audio can be easily transferred to the more compact mp3 audio format. 

Many of our daily activities do not require our full attention. We can often do house work or ride in a vehicle and still devote some concentration to an audio presentation such as radio programs or recorded music. Listening to our choice of audio presentations as a concurrent activity can improve the value of the time we spend. Typically we read a book only once. People tend to listen to Audio Books more than once and reinforce the previous knowledge and gain additional knowledge from the parts that we  missed or were not fully understood previously. The content of Audio Books is reinforced through  repetition - a key elements of human learning.

Learning Through Audio Books

Taking notes helps some people to improve concentration and retention of the material. I have compiled Notes for Editing for some audio presentations. The next time I review the material I edit the notes, fill in the blanks and clarify my record of the authors points. The links in the Audio Presentations I Have Listened To section below, link to my Notes For Editing.

In the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R Covey explains that one way to improve one's depth of knowledge is to teach the material. This has the flow on effect of providing the opportunity for other people to learn the material. The Notes-for-Editing can provide a basis for Notes-for-Teaching.

The Present and Future

The MP3 compressed audio file format is well established at present. Portable MP3 audio players are taking over a market segment that was previously dominated by portable CD players and once the domain of the Sony "Walkman". MP3 files can also be played by microcomputers, hand held computers (Personal Digital Assistant - PDA) and the current generation of DVD players. Very compact and lightweight players are available specifically for playing MP3 or WMA (Windows Media Audio) recordings. 

About 9 megabytes of file space is required for each hour DVD quality audio in MP3 or WMA format. . About 4.5 megabytes per hour is required for FM radio quality audio.

Audible.com is a USA based web site that sells Audio Book downloads to occasional customers and also has subscription plans using the "book of the month club" concept. Audible.com also offers subscriptions to audio magazines. Audible.com provides software to convert the downloaded files into PCM format and then to record the uncompressed files using a CD burner. The Audio Book can then be then played on an ordinary CD player. The Audible.com software also allows the downloaded files to be loaded and played as MP3 files. The Audible.com downloaded files can be played on the Windows Media Player using an Audible.com plug in (an add-on application that works with Windows Media Player). 

Audio Books and Audio Magazines  use Information Age concepts. Delivery costs are small compared to hard copy books and magazines. Information can be more current because of reduced delivery time. Stock holding costs are also much less than for hard copies.

The "value added" by audio retail stores is being challenged by mail order and audio download web sites. High speed home internet access is becoming more common. The market sector with access to fast and convenient file downloading is steadily increasing.

Motivational, Self Help, Self Improvement Audio Book Sources

Delivery times from CD Audio Books relate to stock status and transport time. Chapters / Indigo (Canada) indicate the stock status on their web site. Angus and Robertson (Australia) also indicate the stock status through an apparently much smaller existing stock range. In my experience delivery from Chapters / Indigo was much quicker than Angus and Robertson. Angus and Robertson prices were usually the recommended retail price. Chapters / Indigo usually offered a substantial discount from the recommended retail price.  Audio Books Direct specialises in bargain-priced remaindered titles.

Some Audio Books / Audio Presentations
I Have Listened To

Personal Development

Financial Education

Business / Other

My Personal Opinion

After listening to several self improvement audio CD sets, I acknowledge the importance of continuous goal focused personal development and continuing personal education. Using my time for self improvement or self education has substantial benefits. Through continuing self improvement, the benefit compound - like compound interest. 

When I am working at tasks that do not require my full concentration, I will continue to use Audio Books to advantage. The choice of media (CD, MP3, DVD) should help to add value through competition and decreasing distribution costs.  

Audio Books will contribute to a wide range of cost effective educational books and educational  products.

Grant McEwing mcewing@bigpond.com

Last modified 14/06/2009