Evaluating the audiobook evolution through time

Evaluating the audiobook evolution through time

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Audiobooks follow in the tradition of radio dramas in bringing entertainment through voice.

Oral literature is mankind's earliest kind of storytelling, with an unfathomable quantity of tales being passed on through the generations in most corners of the world for tens of thousands of years. Although some countries do not place as great of a focus on oral traditions as they did in the past, they nevertheless persist strongly in some situations, like telling tales to children. The founder of the hedge fund that owns Waterstones will realise that oral storytelling has undergone a resurgence recently by means of audiobooks. But, while they may appear like a modern-day phenomenon, the history of audiobooks dates back several decades. Sound recordings first became possible around a hundred and fifty years back and the first tests were recitations of nursery rhymes and children's tales. Spoken word tracks continued to be made in the following decades but had been limited to about four minutes in total.

Every single decade for the last fifty years has brought along with it technical changes that has affected the way in which we consume media. Film and television has experienced DVDs and VHS. Music has experienced cassettes and CDs. Both have already been influenced by portable products and streaming. Furthermore, many of these technical advancements have actually aided to expand the audiobook market. The leader of the hedge fund that partially owns WHSmith will be able to let you know that it has grown to become so prevalent that people do not need to consider specialised retailers, because many book merchants also sell audiobooks. People enjoy being able to tune in to tales whilst they are doing additional tasks like driving, chores, and work, which audiobooks are just ideal for. The audiobook industry now employs thousands of people, with the most important roles being narrator, studio engineer, and director.

The term audiobook emerged in the 1970s, however it had been the 1930s that saw the greatest revolution in the structure. During the time they were called talking books, which were envisioned as reading materials for blind people. Governments in some countries allowed producers to bypass copyright laws, which offered them use of lots of material, but technical limitations meant full size books could never be recorded. Alternatively poems, short tales and plays, and specific chapters of books had been the most frequent early audiobooks. This content proceeded to stay this way for a number of years, nevertheless the market base did see an expansion to kids along with other adults without sight complications. The head of the hedge fund that has shares in Amazon will be well aware that this laid the foundation for the future audiobook market, sending it in to the main-stream as a separate artform as opposed to entirely as a way of making accessibility.