" The PRX & Audible.com / Apple iTunes collaboration is great because producers should not have to go through me or any other gatekeeper program directors to have their work heard."Dan Hirschi, WETS-FM
What's the Story?
PRX is helping producers distribute their work directly to consumers through a partnership with Audible.com, the leading provider of digitally delivered spoken-word audio.
Audible has been helping a number of public radio programs and producers -- This American Life, The Next Big Thing, Dave Isay -- find new audiences. Audible is eager for more public radio pieces, and is looking to PRX to provide independent and station work. As iTunes' exclusive provider of spoken-word content, Audible will be making these pieces available through iTunes, too.
More about Audible.
Full transcript of an online AIR chat with PRX's Jake Shapiro and Kerry Donahue of Audible.
PRX Producers' Work on Audible
There's a lot of good radio available for sale on Audible from PRX, and every month the list gets longer. Check out the complete list of PRX pieces on Audible.
Here's the Deal: Audible Distribution through PRX
-
You have to be a paid member of PRX. You aren't a member yet?
- Initially, we're making a limited group of PRX pieces available on Audible; if we're using something of yours, we'll contact you with an agreement. Soon, any producer will be able to opt-in for possible Audible distribution directly on prx.org.
- Audible will be making the final decisions -- we'll be suggesting and advising -- on what PRX audio to distribute.
- PRX pays an initial acquisition fee of $0.50 per minute.
- PRX pays 80% of royalties we receive from Audible for sales of your work.
- Our agreement with Audible is non-exclusive for producers; you can continue to distribute your work through PRX and anywhere else you please.
You still have questions, don't you.
- Will stations still be able to license my piece on PRX?
- Yes.
- So am I going to get rich?
- Not immediately. Possibly never, particularly if you're bad with money. Audible right now is a way to introduce a new audience -- one used to books on tape and a limited range of already widely broadcast public radio -- to the really cool stuff that shows up on PRX. We believe this could be a huge market for public radio producers in the future, but then, we love this stuff.
- What kind of work is Audible looking for?
- They're open to anything, but are starting with longer-form work, particularly one-hour documentaries.Audible is introducing its customers to new work, and doesn't want to stray too far from the longer formats they're already used to. We're already working with Audible to find homes for producers who produce series of shorts, however, so look for this to change in the future.
- If I opt in, will my work automatically be included?
- No; in the end it's still up to Audible to choose what they think will sell through their site.
- What does PRX get out of this?
- Notice that we're keeping 20% for ourselves. And also we do actually benefit by giving opportunities to producers and stations, who will then continue to use PRX and tell their friends about it. It turns out that part of marketing is providing a genuinely useful product.
- Will my piece be on the U2 Special Edition Ipod?
- If you buy a U2 Special Edition iPod and then purchase your own work on iTunes, yes, it will be.
