Around 14,900 new digital audiobook titles came out in Germany in 2025, more than a third of them serial, while the listener base remained mostly flat in recent years. More supply is meeting the same limited attention, which makes three questions decisive. Why is a title chosen at all? Why does someone keep listening instead of dropping off after twenty minutes? And why do they come back for the series, the author, the voice or the imprint?

This panel follows the listener journey from discovery to loyalty, from three angles. A streaming service shares insights what its data shows about discovery, drop-off and what turns a single title into a habit. A publisher draws on what it takes to make a title work, from casting through complex formats such as multi-POV and duet narration to promotion. And media research brings the wider picture: how digital platforms are reshaping reading and listening behaviour, and where communities and fandoms fit into that.

Moderation: 

• Chris Kling, CEO, Audatio

Panelists:

• Kathrin Rüstig, Managing Director, BookBeat Germany
• Dr. Anke Susanne Hoffmann, Publishing Director, Penguin Random House
• Prof. Dr. Sven Stollfuß, Professor of Media Change with a focus on book culture and digital publishing, Leipzig University