OfSpectrum at London Book Fair

March 11 - 13, 2025

Piracy has always been an issue for the publishing industry. Every year, major publishers lose millions of dollars in revenue globally because people continue to find ways to access materials online for free without going through the proper channels of purchase. Naturally, this includes the audiobook industry as well. In fact, a research survey from the Audio Publishers Association (APA) suggested that nearly 47% of audiobooks in the U.S. alone were obtained through illegal means. This is why we at OfSpectrum were very glad to have had the honor of participating in the London Book Fair this year.

The Book Fair:

First and foremost, the London Book Fair is one of the most prestigious publishing events, held annually. It attracts key industry players from across the globe to assemble at the same location for three days. Participants range from major publishing houses, printing and shipping services, indie presses, tech innovators, authors, and even government agencies. Our goal at this fair was to expand our network and broaden our presence in the publishing industry. We spoke with publishers, distributors, and individual authors about their current challenges with audiobook piracy. We wanted to better understand how to best implement our audio watermarking technology as part of their workflows to combat piracy. Many of the publishers expressed concern about the state of piracy but admitted that they lacked the necessary means to address it effectively. Most were only aware of protecting their intellectual property by restricting access to their audio files and were therefore surprised to learn about our non-invasive technology. They were intrigued by our ability to track down pirated content to its source, without degrading audio quality or interrupting the listening experience. Our exchanges with all these different participants at the book fair confirmed the growing need in the entertainment industry for protection against piracy. They are looking for practical, invisible, and scalable solutions—all of which we are equipped to provide.

Summary and Outlook:

To sum up all the conversations we had at the book fair, several recurring themes emerged:

• High awareness, low action: Many publishers, distributors, and even authors confirmed that the piracy problem is very prevalent. However, many feel it is a battle not worth fighting due to the complexity of the problem. Most rely solely on access restriction. Our watermarking solution will allow them to go above and beyond and simplify their quest to track piracy.
• Demand for simplicity: All parties that were interested in our technology expressed their preference for a solution that is easy to integrate and practical to use.
• Incentive to collaborate: We were encouraged to hear that many publishers are open to pilot programs or proof-of-concept testing soon. These insights help shape how we move forward in the coming months. All in all, the London Book Fair brought much-needed insights and feedback for OfSpectrum. This has given us renewed momentum to expand our reach and build lasting relationships with publishers, distributors, and authors who care deeply about protecting their work from illegal access.