ABSTRACT
The popularity of audiobooks amongst a younger audience may have been influenced by the increased popularity of podcasts. Audiobooks sold in physical form to the consumer market may still be in abridged form, although unabridged versions are becoming more popular. In January 2018, Google announced that it was making audiobooks available via its Google Play Books platform, with audiobooks accessible via desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones and Google Home; at the time of writing they are not yet available via Android Auto. For audiobooks supplied via the subscription model, rightsholders would receive a pro-rata share of the audio publisher’s royalty ‘pot’. Video-recording rights for a film, stage production, television film or television series based on a book would normally be included in the grant of those rights; the aim should be to ensure that separate payment is made if a video version is issued.
