Penguin Random House is partnering with Hospital Radio and National Prison Radio to broadcast free audiobooks to patients in NHS hospitals and people in prison across the UK, offering comfort, escape and entertainment at a time of desperate need.
Audiobook listening has already seen a boom in popularity in recent years, with sales increasing by 43% year-on-year in 2018 and it’s estimated that nearly 10% of the UK population are listening to audiobooks regularly. Now, along with all formats of audio streaming, audiobooks are seeing a spike in listeners during the current coronavirus pandemic, with many pointing to the positive impact listening to audio has in reducing stress and supporting mental wellbeing.