Audible Unveils Ad Tools For PodcastersAudible Unveils Ad Tools For Podcasters

Audio book seller Audible Inc. on Friday unveiled Web-based tools that enable podcasters to provide advertisers with subscriber counts and other metrics needed in negotiating rates.

The TrueListener audience measurement system is part of the AudibleWordcast podcasting platform launched at the Podcasting & Portable Media Expo in Ontario, Calif., officials with Wayne, N.J.-based, Audible said. The new tools deliver subscriber measurements that have been determined audit ready by third-party media auditor ImServices Group.

"What we are doing with AudibleWordcast is packaging some of the best technologies, techniques, and customer support systems that have enabled us to build audible.com and its delivery platform and making them available to audio creators of all sizes," Donald Katz, chairman and chief executive of Audible, said.

AudibleWordcast creates podcast in Audible's .aa file format, which can be played in Apple Computer Inc.'s popular iPod portable music player and 160 other devices. Podcasts are audio files, typically in MP3 format, delivered by companies and individuals o