Some MP3 players can play Audible files, and Audible will offer some programming in MP3 format.

Jog with Wertheimer for $49.95 a year

Originally published in Current, July 31, 2000

Audible, Inc., which is trying to transplant the success of audio books from cassettes to computer audio files, has begun offering Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Talk of the Nation in downloadable digits.

Of course, streaming audio files of these and many other public radio programs can be downloaded without charge on the Web, but those files can only be played through a live Internet connection. What Audible is selling is audio files that can be saved in a portable player and taken out for a jog, or wherever. For the convenience, Audible is charging $49.95 a year for each daily program.

Audible also began offering Says You!, Only a Game and The Connection talk show, as well as selected C-SPAN programming for downloading this summer. Other public radio programs including Garrison Keillor monologues, Car Talk ($15.95 a year), Marketplace, Fresh Air and Justice Talking already were available from Audible's web site before NPR agreed last November to make available its major weekday programs. The site offers a full archive of some 140 episodes of This American Life ($24.95 a year) and works by such producers as David Isay, Joe Richman, Tony Kahn (Blacklisted), Harriet Baskas (Henrietta's Holiday) and Jay Allison.

The company originally designed its own highly compressed file format for spoken-word programming, and its own portable player, but in addition it now offers higher quality formats including MP3, which can be played on various portable devices. Some MP3 players, including new Rio and Philips Rush models, also can play the Audible file format, says company spokesman Jonathan Korzen. Two of the new compression schemes are ACELP.net at 8.5 kbps and 16 kpbs, plus MP3, which runs at 32 kbps.

Audible will maintain a week's archive of ATC and Morning Edition for its customers, says Kerry Donahue, a producer with the company.

 

	.	To Current's home page
	.	Earlier news: Audible and a competitor announced services in 1997. (The competitor, Audio Highway, now does not carry much NPR or other news programming.)
	.	Outside link: Audible's web site.

Web page posted Aug. 27, 2000, revised Oct. 10, 2000
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