Robert Wildgruber From Der Hörverlag: About Voices That Touch

Mr. Wildgruber, studies show that attention spans are constantly decreasing. Have you ever caught yourself stopping an audiobook extremely early and then been annoyed by your lack of patience?

Robert Wildgruber: I could say with a twinkle in my eye that I didn't grow up with social media and therefore have plenty of patience. In my private life, however, I enjoy listening to audio books simply out of personal interest, preferably on long car journeys. However, in my everyday working life, with the large number of productions and limited time, I rarely manage to listen to an audiobook in its entirety. I usually only listen to short samples.

How does the shorter attention span affect the production of audiobooks?

Wildgruber: We don't focus on that. People who listen to audiobooks consciously take time to immerse themselves in foreign worlds. The spoken word has a more personal and immersive effect than the written word anyway. Good narrators build on this advantage. They don't just read aloud, but interpret the text and captivate the listener - but this has always been the case, not just since the decline in attention spans.

„A voice with exceptional charisma works for every genre“

Does it depend on the genre what makes a good voice? Are there special voices for thrillers or romance novels, for example?

Wildgruber: Perhaps to a certain extent, but a voice with exceptional charisma actually works for every genre. In addition, professional voice actors prepare themselves intensively by reading a text several times, marking relevant passages and thinking about acoustic colorations for characters and situations. As a result, they give a text - regardless of the genre – its own vocal character.

Should authors ideally read their work themselves?

Wildgruber: It depends. Let's take Jan Weiler as an example: he is an excellent interpreter of his own texts, which he writes with a lot of passion and presents with just as much passion – within a few minutes he creates a special atmosphere that you can hardly escape. This presence is a rare gift that not every author has and doesn't need to have. After all, that's what professional narrators are for.

Artificial intelligence is developing rapidly in the field of voice simulation. Do you believe that AI could one day replace human narrators in the audiobook sector?

Wildgruber: AI is currently not a real alternative for works of fiction, as the voices often sound monotonous and lack human characteristics such as pauses, breathing and believable emotions. AI also fails to capture subtleties such as irony or cynicism. In the future, I see more potential in the dubbing of specialist and non-fiction books or in the correction of slips of the tongue.

What material is particularly suitable for audio books?

Wildgruber: Entertainment and suspense, such as in crime novels or thrillers, are perfectly suited to audio. In principle, however, almost any genre is suitable for an audiobook, except perhaps cookbooks, where you would have to constantly rewind, and specialist books with lots of figures and tables, which would require a lot of additional material.

Which distribution channels are the most important for audiobooks?

Wildgruber: Digital download portals such as Audible play a central role for us, as we can sell audiobooks there at a fixed price. Audiobook productions are expensive and have to generate correspondingly high revenues. Digitization means that content is immediately accessible, which is modern and convenient for consumers. CD sales, on the other hand, have been falling for years.

„People have a need to own things they are passionate about“

When will the last audio book CD be pressed?

Wildgruber: CDs are increasingly becoming a niche product. Its market share could shrink by a further 15 to 20 percent in the next two to three years. However, it will not disappear completely in the foreseeable future.

You also offer radio plays as fan editions with exclusive fan merchandise. How important are merchandise products for retaining consumers?

Wildgruber: Very important, especially in the young adult sector. People have a need to own things they love - even and especially when it comes to fictional worlds. For certain productions, we therefore offer fan boxes containing autograph cards or character cards, for example. These haptic extensions of the audiobook world activate different processes in the brain than pure acoustics and strengthen the emotional connection to the brand.

You are the publishing director of the three audiobook publishers Der Hörverlag, cbj audio and Random House Audio, which are part of the Penguin Random House publishing group. Could you take us on a short journey through your professional career and tell us about the stages that led you to this position?

Wildgruber: I studied business administration and initially worked in a book publishing house. Almost 24 years ago, the founders of Hörverlag asked me if I would like to join the then still young company. I started there as head of the rights and licensing department. In order to continue growing, we wanted to join a larger publishing house and found the ideal partner in Penguin Random House. At the end of 2015, I was given the task of managing the publishing houses cbj audio and Random House Audio, which are based there, together with Hörverlag. Today, the three publishers work closely together in many areas, such as press relations, rights management, digital distribution and editing. This ensures variety and makes work exciting for the team.

How do the profiles of the three publishers differ?

Wildgruber: cbj audio is our children's program, while Hörverlag covers a broad spectrum – from classics to current novels and non-fiction. Random House Audio has a more popular focus, with strong fantasy and crime titles. The individual programs overlap, but these are the basic orientations of the three publishers.

Munich is your base. What is the biggest advantage of this location for you?

Wildgruber: The biggest advantage is the well-developed media landscape. We can get in direct contact with journalists, agencies and other players and push topics quickly. Of course, we are networked throughout Germany and often exchange information digitally, but face-to-face discussions allow us to drive projects forward more decisively and strengthen trust.

A good addition: the book market provides valuable groundwork for the audiobook industry

What do you think book publishers can learn from audiobook publishers?

Wildgruber: Book and audiobook publishers work very differently. The effort involved in accompanying a book and making it accessible to an audience in the first place is enormous, and book publishers do an excellent job of this. In the next step, we take care of the professional dubbing and distribution of the recordings. We therefore complement each other rather than learning directly from each other or competing with each other, which is why I would like to hold back on giving advice.

Hörverlag was one of the first publishers to invest in elaborate podcast productions, for example with the serials “The Abyss” by Melanie Raabe and “Rabbits” by Terry Miles. What opportunities do you see for audiobook publishers in this medium?

Wildgruber: Podcasts and podcast originals offer great potential. However, the challenge still lies in monetizing the content. Serials usually only comprise six or seven episodes. However, most advertisers prefer longer-term partnerships. Podcasts from magazines or talk formats with celebrities, for example, which regularly offer new episodes over months and years, have an advantage here. Nevertheless, we are keeping a close eye on developments in this segment and will continue to be active here.