Audible Channels is scaling back on original content

Audible Channels launched in 2016 and primarily comprises of podcasts, audio versions of newspapers, comedy shows and tech news. It is free for Amazon Prime Members and Audible subscribers get full access to all of the content. Channels was designed to draw in new users and hopefully become paid monthly subscribers. It looks like Audible Channels is scaling back and most of the department is either fired or are moving on to other companies.

Last week Audible eliminated several people in the company, but they completely decimated the Originals unit that was spearheaded by NPR executive Eric Nuzum and his deputy, the public radio veteran Jesse Baker. Popular podcasts such as Mortal City, The Butterfly Effect, West Cork and Where should be begin are all on the chopping block.

This news was disclosed by Neda Ulaby of the NPR in a newscast on Friday evening. She noted that about a dozen employees were affected and that the changes came “with no warning.” It was also mentioned that Nuzum , who held the title of SVP of original content development, circulated an email announcing that he will be leaving the company in the next few weeks.

Nicholas Quah of the Niemanlab, a publication devoted to podcasts said “A spokesperson for the company told me: “As you may know, we’ve been evolving our content strategy for Audible Originals (including our theater initiative, narrative storytelling ‘written to the form’ as well as short-form programming). A related restructure of our teams resulted in the elimination of several roles and the transfer of some positions to other parts of the business.”

Audible is obviously restructuring or completely eliminating their Originals unit, otherwise known as Audible Channels. Will the podcasters be able to go to different networks if Audible discontinues the platform? What happens to episodes that are already recorded and are just awaiting publication? There are lots of uncertainties about the future.

Michael Kozlowski

Michael Kozlowski is the Editor in Chief of Good e-Reader. He has been writing about audiobooks and e-readers for the past ten years. His articles have been picked up by major and local news sources and websites such as the CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and Verge.

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Sportbike Mike
Well this sucks. Audible Originals have some good solid content. I guess audiobook sales are doing well enough on their own.
As an antidote, The Butterfly Effect resulted in me buying all but two of Jon Ronson’s audiobooks on Audible, and he has a lot.
jdp231
Sept. 10, channels is completely gone from my Android app. ‘Originals’ has replaced it apparently, but all the content is gone with Channels.
I never saw a notice about a coming change.
dfuser
All Audible Channels are gone, and nothing on the audible site explains how to find the podcasts and other files that had been available. I recall a brief notice a few weeks ago, which said that Channels content would continue to be available, but if that is true, it’s not easy to see how.