BBC Audiobooks America Rings Up at Retail

by Shannon Maughan, PW Daily -- Publishers Weekly, 4/12/2007

BBC Audiobooks America, which has long provided titles to the institutional market, debuts a retail audiobook publishing program later this month, headlined by such works as the first-ever commercial recording of Alex Haley's Roots, read by Avery Brooks.

The new retail line will consist of two individual imprints. The BBC Audio label will feature contemporary bestsellers from the mystery, literary fiction, women's fiction, thriller and narrative nonfiction genres. And under the BBC Radio imprint the company will release dramatized recordings originally produced for broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the U.K. Titles will be released simultaneously in the trade and institutional markets.

Perseus Distribution will be offering the new retail line to the trade in North America. The combined output of the retail imprints should account for about 50 titles each year. Under the direction of president and publisher Jim Brannigan, BBC Audiobooks America plans to beef up the staff at its New Kingstown, R.I., headquarters to handle the increased load.

Other highlights of the inaugural list include The Education of Henry Adams, To the Lighthouse, Around the World in 80 Days and The Complete Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes, a $250 box set of 54 CDs.