B4
THE ASTORIAN • TuESdAy, AuguST 27, 2019
FIELD TEST
Candidates Wanted
URGENT NOTICE: You may be qualified
to participate in a special Field Test of
new hearing instrument technology
being held at a local test site.
Audible is being sued by publishers.
Top publishers sue Audible
over planned captioning feature
By HILLEL ITALIE
Associated Press
NEW YORK — Some of the country’s
top publishers are suing Audible, citing
copyright infringement as they ask a federal
judge to enjoin the audiobook producer-dis-
tributor’s planned use of captions for an edu-
cation-driven program.
The so-called “Big Five” of publishing
— Penguin Random House, Hachette Book
Group, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins
Publishers and Macmillan Publishers — are
among the plaintiffs in the suit filed Friday
in U.S. District Court for the Southern Dis-
trict of New York. The legal action comes
in response to “Audible Captions,” which
Audible announced in July and indicated
would be formally launched as students
return this fall, with titles including “Catch-
22,” ‘’The Hunger Games” and “The Hate
U Give.”
“Audible Captions takes publishers’ pro-
prietary audiobooks, converts the narra-
tion into unauthorized text, and distributes
the entire text of these ‘new’ digital books
to Audible’s customers,” the lawsuit reads.
“Audible’s actions — taking copyrighted
works and repurposing them for its own ben-
efit without permission — are the kind of
quintessential infringement that the Copy-
right Act directly forbids.”
Other publishers suing are Scholastic and
Chronicle Books.
Audible, which is owned by Amazon.
com, said in a statement that it was disap-
pointed by the lawsuit and “any implication
that we have not been speaking and working
with publishers about this feature, which has
not yet launched.”
The company said the captions are
intended to help children who are not read-
ing be able to engage with books through lis-
tening. “This feature would allow such lis-
teners to follow along with a few lines of
machine-generated text as they listen to the
audio performance,” the statement said. “It
is not and was never intended to be a book.”
Maria Pallante, who heads the Asso-
ciation of American Publishers, told The
Associated Press in a recent interview that
repeated efforts to address its concerns with
Audible — including cease-and-desist let-
ters — had failed to produce any changes.
“They said something along the lines of
‘We’ve received your communications and
considered them and don’t agree with them
and do not intend to stop,’” said Pallante, the
trade group’s president and CEO.
Audible, which is the dominant producer
in the thriving audiobook market, said it still
wants to work with publishers and others “to
help them better understand the education
and accessibility benefits of this innovation.”
Audible Captions would be available
for free to students and also could be used
by Audible members who already pay a
monthly fee. A video demonstration of the
program uses Dickens’ “David Copperfield”
as an example and shows computer-gen-
erated words appearing on the screen of a
smartphone as the narrator reads from the
text. In announcing Audible Captions, com-
pany founder Don Katz said the program
would help young people who struggle to
read books.
“We know from years and years of
work, that parents and educators, in partic-
ular, understand that an audio experience of
well-composed words is really important in
developing learners,” Katz told USA Today
in July.
In Friday’s lawsuit, publishers contend
that Audible has acknowledged that up to
6% of a given book’s captions would be
erroneous, with mistakes including tran-
scribing the Yiddish expression “mazel tov”
as “mazel tough.”
In addition to enjoining Audible Cap-
tions, publishers in Friday’s lawsuit are seek-
ing an undetermined amount of damages
“they have sustained and will sustain, and
any gains, profits and advantages obtained
by Audible” through the new program.
Not so sunny marriage
Dear Annie: I’m a 30-year-old male tropical destination, Sonny wanted no part of
in my first year of marriage to a charming, any sexual romance. Of course, this crushed
beautiful woman, “Sonny.” I am madly in me. Though I always think of “Sonny” as an
love with this woman, and she says the same enthusiastic sexual partner, she never initi-
to me. This is a second marriage for both of ates intimacy between us.
We have been to a marriage coun-
us.
Unfortunately, I’m finding out that she selor, whose concluding comment to me
has lied to me about a number of things, was, “Some beautiful women are like
and my love for her is being weakened by that,” meaning they need attention from
these revelations. We met shortly after she other men, I think. I’m seriously consider-
ing divorce, though I’m still in love
had broken up with another man. She
DEAR
with her. I’m feeling used, and find
told me that it was over. However,
ANNIE
myself responding to some situations
during our dating prior to marriage I
between us with anger. Can this mar-
learned that she was still seeing him,
riage be saved? — Feeling Torn
and sleeping with him on nights we
Dear Torn: You are not paint-
were not together. At one point, she
ing a very sunny picture of Sonny.
even suggested that we three should
Unless the two of you had a previ-
live together, and she would alter-
ous understanding that infidelity was
nate nights with each of us. I wasn’t
about to accept that. We’re married ANNIE LANE part of the deal, her actions would
Creators
leave anyone feeling used. Your ther-
now, but I know she still has at least
Syndicate Inc.
apist’s observation that “some beau-
a phone relationship with him.
tiful women are just this way” seems
Her mother has recently moved
in with us because I was told that circum- dismissive and flippant. You might consider
stances in her life created that need. I’ve since seeing another therapist.
learned that those dire straits were untrue.
Unless you are OK with Sonny’s infidel-
Most nights I go to bed alone because Sonny ity, this marriage will only bring you dark-
is chatting with her mother, with whom she’s ness and hurt. It’s time to find a new therapist
always had a close relationship, and with who helps you better understand what you
would like out of a marriage. And then you
whom she lived when we first met.
Recently, Sonny has contacted a man she need to tell Sonny in no uncertain terms what
met during her first marriage. She set up a that is, perhaps being faithful. And what’s
meeting with him. I have no idea what trans- with her mother? Is she enabling or encour-
pired between them, neither initially nor at aging Sonny to split the two of you apart?
When I read your letter, I couldn’t help
this time. I do know he has a child named
but wonder why you married her if you knew
for her.
I’ve just learned that one of her children, she was cheating on you when you were dat-
supposedly from her first marriage, was ing. With good therapy, you can both decide
fathered by another man during a period of if you want to stay together and make it
work, or go your separate ways. Best of luck
separation in that marriage.
On a recent romantic long weekend to a to you.
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• Live in Warrenton or the surrounding area
• Are at least 55 years of age or older
• Have experienced some level of hearing difficulty,
or currently wear hearing aids
• Don’t currently work for a market research
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discounts if you decide to take the hearing
instruments home. If you choose not to keep them,
there’s no risk or obligation of any kind.†
TO PARTICIPATE:
1. You must be one of the first 15 people to call our
office Mention Code: 19AugField .
2. You will be required to have your hearing tested
in our office, FREE OF CHARGE, to determine
candidacy.
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to the Hearing Care Specialist over a three week
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AVOID WAITING – CALL AND MENTION CODE: 19AugField
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the purchase of food at participating restaurants where a minimum purchase may also be required. See restau-
rant.com for details. Not redeemable for cash. Promotional offer available during special event dates only. †If you
are not completely satisfied, the aids may be returned for a full refund within 30 days of the completion of fitting,
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