Audatio at Frankfurt Book Fair 2026: Recap

Frankfurt Book Fair 2026 marked an important milestone for us: our first major appearance under the new name Audatio. And it turned out to be a great start. Alongside a busy week of meetings and conversations at our booth, we hosted our launch get-together, brought together leading industry voices for two panel discussions and helped turn Saturday on the Imagination Stage into a celebration of all things audio.

It was a pleasure to catch up with so many publishers, narrators and long-standing partners, and to make plenty of new connections along the way. One recurring theme was the growing appetite for international collaboration. Bringing stories to audiences across languages and borders, while combining international production capabilities with local voices and cultural understanding, is opening up exciting possibilities for the audiobook industry.

Two Panels, Plenty to Discuss

On Wednesday, our CEO Chris Kling was joined by Thomas Anderson (Blinkist), Helena Gustafsson (Storytel) and Colin Hauer (Hörbuch Hamburg) on the Imagination Stage to explore the opportunities and limitations of AI narration.

"AI Narration Beyond the Lab" brought together three quite different perspectives. Blinkist explained why it had decided to move away from AI narration after finding that listener trust mattered more than ratings alone. Storytel outlined a different approach with its Voice Switcher, giving listeners the option to choose between human and synthetic narration. Hörbuch Hamburg, meanwhile, made a compelling case for continuing to invest in human voices and the artistic quality of their performances.

The result was a lively, occasionally provocative and refreshingly open discussion about technology, quality and what audiences actually want. It also caught the attention of the international trade press, with The Bookseller reporting on the debate in detail.

Our second panel, "The Audio Attention Economy", brought Kathrin Rüstig (BookBeat), Dr. Anke Susanne Hoffmann (Penguin Random House) and Jeremy Amsellem (Spotify) together to discuss what makes listeners pick up an audiobook, stay with it and come back for more.

With around 14,900 new digital audiobook titles released across Germany, Austria and Switzerland in 2025, while listener numbers have remained largely stable, the competition for attention is becoming increasingly intense. How can publishers make sure their titles find the right audience, and what can listening data tell us about the choices people make?

Perhaps the most encouraging part of the conversation was where everyone found common ground. Platforms and publishers ultimately share an interest in growing the audiobook market. Platforms can provide valuable insights into listening behaviour, while publishers can put that knowledge to work in their editorial and production decisions. Greater openness in sharing and using data could help both sides reach new audiences and grow the market together, rather than simply competing for a bigger share of the existing one.

Saturday Belonged to Audiobooks

Saturday was a particular highlight for us. Together with a wonderful group of publishing partners, we had the pleasure of putting together a full day of audiobook programming on the Imagination Stage in Hall 4.0.

The line-up included Caroline Wahl, Jan Weiler, Klaus-Peter Wolf, Ingolf Lück, Matthias Matschke and narrator Mona Fischer, among others. From readings and author conversations to dark romance, romantasy, fantasy and the Fabely audiobook quiz, the programme reflected the diversity of today's audiobook world. Many sessions were followed by signings and opportunities for fans to meet the people behind their favourite stories.

What made the day especially rewarding was the response from the audience. Every session attracted an excellent turnout, and the area around the stage was buzzing from morning until evening. There was a real sense of enthusiasm throughout the day, with authors, narrators, publishers and listeners coming together over their shared love of stories and voices.

For us, the day was a tremendous success and a great example of what a dedicated audiobook stage can bring to the fair. We very much hope to see it return to Frankfurt next year.

A big thank-you to DAV, der Hörverlag, Miss Motte Audio, Jumbo/GOYA, CalmeMara Verlag, Bookwire, dp DIGITAL PUBLISHERS, Hörbuch Hamburg and argon hörbuch, and of course to all the authors and narrators who helped make the day such a success.

Looking Ahead to Frankfurt 2027

If this year's fair reminded us of one thing, it's the value of bringing people together. Audiobooks have a particular way of connecting publishers, creative talent and audiences, and Frankfurt offers a wonderful opportunity to make those connections happen.

With so much of the audiobook programme taking place in Hall 4.0, we'd love to be a little closer to the action next year. Having publishers, narrators and audiobook fans sharing the same space is something we particularly value, and we'd be delighted to see even more of it in 2027.

We're returning home with plenty of fresh ideas, promising conversations and new perspectives. Most of all, we're grateful for such a successful first Frankfurt Book Fair as Audatio and for everyone who helped make it happen.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth, joined the discussions, celebrated our launch or spent Saturday enjoying audiobooks with us.

We look forward to seeing you in Frankfurt next year.