DC-area based RBmedia to accelerate publishing of politics and policy audiobooks under a new imprint amid growth in audio

Landover, MD, July 23, 2019—RBmedia, the largest independent audiobook producer in the world, today announced a new imprint, Kalorama Audio, which will publish audiobooks and other digital audio content, including audio originals and podcasts, focused on politics and policy. Headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area, the company is in a prime position to develop partnerships with journalists, authors and commentators who are writing about politics, policy initiatives, and public discourse.

Consumers are increasingly consuming news, information, and entertainment via audiobooks and podcasts. Audiobook sales continued its seven-year trend of double-digit growth, according to the Audio Publishers Association, and the Association of American Publishers reports that digital audiobooks grew by 36 percent between the first halves of 2017 and 2018. Moreover, in 2019, 50% of Americans age 12 and up listened to an audiobook, up from 44% in 2018, according to Edison Research and Triton Digital.

Politics and policy is one of the fastest-growing categories in nonfiction. According to The NBD Group, book sales in the category rose 32% in 2018.

RBmedia has long been a leading audio publisher in the category through its Recorded Books and HighBridge imprints. Today’s strong interest in politics and policy titles coupled with the explosive growth of audiobooks makes this the right time to launch the new imprint.

Notable recent and upcoming audiobook releases under the Kalorama Audio imprint include:

• The Great Alignment: Race, Party Transformation, and the Rise of Donald Trump by Alan I. Abramowitz
• The Corrosion of Conservatism: Why I Left the Right by Max Boot
• Shortest Way Home: One Mayor’s Challenge and a Model for America’s Future, a New York Times bestselling book by Pete Buttigieg (2020 presidential candidate)
• The Land of Flickering Lights: Restoring America in an Age of Broken Politics by Michael Bennet (Colorado Senator and 2020 presidential candidate)
• Eyes in the Sky: The Secret Rise of Gorgon Stare and How It Will Watch Us All by Arthur Holland Michel
• Dealing Death and Drugs: The Big Business of Dope in the U.S. and Mexico by Beto O’Rourke (2020 presidential candidate) and Susie Byrd, to be published Nov. 15, 2019

“RBmedia is already a major player in the politics and policy publishing space, but the current landscape is making the category more relevant than ever before, so we are redoubling our efforts with the introduction of Kalorama Audio,” says Troy Juliar, Chief Content Officer for RBmedia. “We’re located in the political hub of the world and already have close contacts with many of the most influential figures in politics and policy today—the imprint is a natural fit for us.”

The new imprint positions the company to aggressively pursue and acquire the rights to additional high-profile titles and authors in the politics and policy genre. RBmedia is already working with key publishing agents and will announce major new content acquisitions as they are finalized. Agents representing authors in this genre can visit kaloramaaudio.com for more information.

RBmedia’s global digital distribution network means that Kalorama Audio titles will be readily available to consumers in all of the top markets. The company’s channels span direct-to-consumer provider Audiobooks.com, thousands of global library partners via the RBdigital app, and third-party distribution partners like Amazon’s Audible, Google Play, Apple iTunes, and many others.

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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, streaming video, 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. RBmedia has a catalog of more than 40,000 exclusive audiobooks through its content brands: Recorded Books, Tantor Media, HighBridge, Kalorama Audio, christianaudio, Gildan Media, W.F. Howes in the United Kingdom, and Wavesound in Australia. RBmedia is owned by KKR, a leading global investment firm. Find out more at www.rbmediaglobal.com.