#LoveAudio: celebrating publishing’s fastest-growing format

NewsPress Release

#LoveAudio returns for a fourth year and will run from Monday 21 to Friday 25 September 2020.

The week-long digital celebration of audiobooks is designed to showcase the accessibility, innovation, and creativity of the format. #LoveAudio will involve audio publishers across the UK joining forces to raise the profile of audiobook publishing amongst the publishing industry, early career professionals, and jobseekers.

Statistics from the Publishers Association Yearbook 2019, released in July, show that consumer audiobook downloads sales income was up 39% to £97m in 2019m making audiobooks the fastest-growing format in trade publishing.

The Publishers Association continues to campaign for VAT to be zero-rated on audiobooks after VAT was removed from ebooks and journals earlier this year following the Axe the Reading Tax campaign.

Dominic Gribben, Audio Publisher at Hachette UK and Chair of the Publishers Association’s Audio Publishers Group, said:

“It’s been another phenomenal year for audiobooks with publishers and producers across the industry doing some very exciting things despite challenging circumstances. #LoveAudio is such a great way to celebrate everyone’s hard work, and to help demystify audiobooks for seasoned publishing professionals and newcomers alike.”

Stephen Lotinga, Chief Executive of the Publishers Association, said:

“It’s fantastic to see such strong growth for audiobooks over the past few years. Particularly exciting is that audiobooks appear to be reaching new readers, meaning more people are enjoying the benefits of books.

“It is unfair that those who need or prefer to read audiobooks must pay VAT while print books and ebooks are not subject to this tax. We at the Publishers Association continue to push for the zero-rating of audiobook VAT.”

Activity for #LoveAudio 2020 includes:

  • Publishers, partners and the Publishers Association spreading the love for audio across Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Downloadable assets are available from our Love Audio Toolkit 2020
  • The Publishers Association will launch a list of Best New Voices in audiobook publishing which will showcase the best new talent in audio narration.
  • During the week, the Publishers Association will be hosting an Ask Me Anything on social media in which audio publishers will answer questions about the audiobook sector.