Listening to audiobooks better than reading real books? – Manila Bulletin

Audiophile, a Filipino audiobook platform, says “there is no need to choose”

Reading a book is a personal experience. It can take you to wonderful worlds, wars and even destinations on distant galaxies with the clever combination of words. As you read each sentence your imagination gets bigger, smaller – or weirder! – depending on the page you are on. It’s a trip like no other. And with the release of so many ebooks, the range of your selection becomes endless that you don’t even need a library card to access some.

This has been the case for many Filipinos during the pandemic, they have discovered new and old ways of caring while they stay at home, one of which is to rekindle their reading relationship with their authors. favorite. As stores closed, e-books became the go-to for local bookworms. While this is a great way to spend time at the start of the pandemic, it has also greatly contributed to the amount of time Filipinos spend on their devices, which becomes unhealthy as minutes continue to turn into hours.

To help Filipino bibliophiles get off the screens but out of their love for literature, Bookshelf PH, a marketplace for books and e-books, has created a new platform for them to enjoy their readings with less. of screen time and a whole new experience. A digital hub for Filipino romantic audiobooks, Audiophile’s mission is to elevate the Pinoy audiobook industry to the level it has reached in other literary markets. Romantic titles, from contemporary and Tagalog genres to LGBTQIA + genres, are produced in-house using the highest production standards, overseen by a Chief Sound Engineer who has overseen the production of over 50 global titles.

“For most Filipino listeners around the world, audiobooks represent a convenient new way to learn about Pinoy’s stories, but they can also improve access, such as for people with disabilities or those new to reading,” says the brand. . “Audiobooks also provide an additional source of income for authors and publishers, and spawn many affiliated industries, such as dubbing.”

In a conversation with Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, Kyle Nate of Bookshelf PH tells more about Audiophile, the benefits of listening to audiobooks and setting the record on which is better, hearing narrations or reading them straight from the pages. .

What is the history of Audiophile?

The population of Filipinos who read recreationally is still small. We do not think it is for lack of interest but for lack of access. Finding books that we want to read, and in the way that works best for us, is always difficult. Bookshelf PH was founded in this regard. We wanted to make it easier for Filipinos to find print and digital books that appeal to them. Audiophile is an extension of this mission. By their very nature, audiobooks are easier to consume as they are screenless, you can passively consume them while doing other tasks, such as chores, shopping, and exercising. We believe that the advent of audiobooks in the Philippines will make it easier for more Filipinos to consume fiction and non-fiction content.

What does Audiophile consider by including titles in its library? Is it exclusive to Filipino authors?

We are open to any fiction or non-fiction title that speaks to the Filipino experience. These can be written by Filipino authors here in the Philippines, or even by our compatriots abroad. These can also be written by non-Filipinos, as long as the title applies to the Philippines in some way. In short, we want our library to provide the localization that consumers expect from their media platforms.

Are you working with other groups to turn books into audio content?

We work with many different stakeholders in the publishing industry to turn their books into audio content. This is a wide range of stakeholders, including everyone from third party editors and anthology editors to self-published authors and thought leaders. Most of the stakeholders are still relatively new to the medium – since the genre is still nascent in the Philippines – so we are happy to use our expertise to successfully adapt their work into audiobook form.

What are the advantages of using Audiophile? How do audiobooks help reduce the negative effects associated with screen time (like mental health) during a pandemic?

We believe that one of the biggest advantages of audiobooks is that they can be consumed without a screen. During this new normal, most of us are in front of our devices 24 hours a day for work and play. Audiobooks provide a welcome respite from screens as they can be consumed on the go. You can double the sanity break afforded by audiobooks by also doing something productive while listening, like going for a walk or exercising. In this regard, audiobooks represent a healthy break from the connectivity required by our new professional life.

In terms of experience, is it better to listen to an audiobook than to read a book?

We don’t think audiobooks and books are mutually exclusive. People who mainly like to read books would also like to listen to them in audio, and vice versa for people who mainly like to consume audiobooks. There is no need to choose. In fact, we like to think of books and audiobooks as complementary to each other. An avid reader could read more books per year by consuming some of them via audio when he cannot sit down to open a book but can listen to a narrator, or even continue a book he is reading in. print or digital version via its audio version. This is the effect of audiobooks at the individual level. We anticipate that audiobooks as a whole will help Filipinos consume more books and, in turn, reap all the benefits of a greater reading culture.

What can people expect from Audiophile next?

We are releasing more audiobooks in different genres ranging from business to horror. Our app will also soon be available for Android and iOS. Stay tuned!

Learn more about Audiophile here. Authors and publishers interested in collaborating with Audiophile are encouraged to contact the team at [email protected]