RBmedia Announces Strong Growth Through the Third Quarter 2017

"By every important measure, our results demonstrate that consumers around the world continue to embrace top-quality, best-selling spoken audio and digital media content delivered to their mobile devices," says Tom MacIsaac, Chief Executive Officer of RBmedia. "By strengthening both our digital content offerings and our distribution technology, RBmedia is well positioned to continue our growth and expansion into the fourth quarter and beyond."

Today, RBmedia also announced the acquisition of Gildan Media, a leading publisher of audiobooks for business, personal development, training and education. The Gildan acquisition comes on the heels of the April announcement that RBmedia acquired Audiobooks.com, an innovator in the on-demand spoken audio sector. As RBmedia's latest acquisition, Gildan joins an ever-expanding group of the best brands in spoken audio,including Recorded Books, Tantor Media, Highbridge, W.F. Howes, Wavesound, and Christian Audio.

Publishing Imprint Highlights

In June, all four of RBmedia's U.S. publishing brands won Audie awards, including Recorded Books for "Best Male Narrator."

Significant U.S. audiobook releases in the second and third quarters of 2017 include:

• The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz
• The Duchess and The Right Time by Danielle Steel
• No Easy Target by Iris Johansen
• Any Day Now by Robyn Carr
• Earthly Remains by Donna Leon
• Everything All at Once by Bill Nye
• Dark Legacy by Christine Feehan
• The Burning Girl by Claire Messud
• Sleep Like a Baby by Charlaine Harris
• Age of Swords by Michael Sullivan
• Sulfur Springs by William Kent Krueger

Recorded Books also announced the exclusive acquisition of numerous other high-demand titles, including the Dark Glass series by Barb Hendee and exclusive unabridged audio rights to the first 16 books in the science-fiction-fantasy Darkover series. Two Recorded Books narrators also received nominations for the 2017 Tony Awards.

HighBridge acquired exclusive audio rights to the complete works of new U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith, including her Pulitzer Prize-winning Life on Mars (releasing this fall) and her highly anticipated new collection Wade in the Water (releasing in April of 2018).

Christian Audio claimed all three finalists in the audio category for the 2017 Christian Retailing's Best Awards, and Unashamed by rap artist Lecrae won the Christian Reading award for audio. The company is also the producer and distributor of audiobook editions for eight 2017 Christian Book Award finalists. Christian Audio has been producing over 50 new titles per month.

Through W.F. Howes in the U.K., significant audiobook titles released in the second and third quarters of 2017 include:

• Die Last by Tony Parsons
• Want You Gone by Christopher Brookmyre
• The Summer of Impossible Things by Rowan Coleman
• Golden Hill by Francis Spufford
• White Tears by Hari Kunzru
• The Break by Marian Keyes
• Insidious Intent by Val McDermid
• Queens of the Conquest by Alison Weir
• The Last Secret of the Deverills by Santa Montefiore
• Roger Moore: À bientôt… by Roger Moore
• Prussian Blue: Bernie Gunther 12 by Philip Kerr

W.F. Howes also announced it has gained exclusive audiobook rights to The Only Story, a profound new novel from Man Booker Prize winning author Julian Barnes; Lucinda Riley's epic new tale The Love Letter; two-book deals for both Nicci French's and Minette Walters' new historical mystery series, starting with The Last Hours; and a three-book deal for Christopher Fowler's internationally bestselling Bryant and May crime mystery series. The company also gained exclusive library publishing rights for Dan Brown's Origin, Jojo Moyes' Still Me, and Philip Pullman's next two books.

In Australia, Wavesound announced audiobook versions of the thriller blockbuster by Michael Robotham, The Secret She Keeps, and The Force of Nature, by Jane Harper – the sequel to the global phenomenon The Dry (available in October). Our range of Australian and international titles is continually improving through the work of our dedicated acquisitions teams. 

Digital Media Distribution Technology Advances

On June 22, Recorded Books unveiled its revolutionary new RBdigital™ app at the ALA 2017 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago. For the first time in the industry, library patrons can access audiobooks, magazines, and eBooks all in one easy-to-use mobile app.  The company is seeing nearly two million checkouts per month via the app.

Through the first half of the year, Audiobooks.com users listened to over 4.5 million hours of audiobooks. The company also added nearly 10,000 new titles to its audiobook library.

Business Growth and Expansion

In June, RBmedia opened its new U.S. headquarters at 8400 Corporate Drive in Landover Maryland. The company now has over 400 team members globally, with additional headcount expansion expected in the fourth quarter.

About RBmedia

RBmedia is a global leader in spoken audio content and digital media distribution technology that reaches millions of consumers – at home, in the car, and wherever their mobile devices take them. RBmedia produces exclusive titles and delivers the finest digital content – including audiobooks, educational courses, entertainment titles, and much more. Headquartered in Landover, Maryland, RBmedia comprises an ever-expanding group of the best brands in spoken audio content and digital media distribution technology. Find out more at www.rbmediaglobal.com.

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