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International Herald Tribune launches personalised audio news feed

Posted: 12/07/06 By: Oliver Luft
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International Herald Tribune (IHT) has launched AudioNews – a beta version service allowing users to create their own audio news feed.

IHT claims it is the first English language website to launch a service where audio articles are 'dynamically generated' using the voices of professional readers.

The site - which receives 2.7 million unique readers a month - is using audio versions of its text stories for the news service.

Articles are converted into audio by a web speech-enabling service provided by Swedish company ReadSpeaker.

But just how unique the service is remains open to question.

Earlier this year the Arizona Republic site, in the US, won plaudits for a similar innovation from Presstime Magazine - the publication of the Newspaper Association of America.

The best-practice award was made because the site's newly published stories were automatically converted into audio files, which users could download via an RSS feed.

Visitors to IHT.com can either stream stories or download articles from the site.

The service also allows the creation of a personalised audio feed - either to iTunes or other podcasting software - from 16 different news categories such as business, arts and leisure, sports, editorial and commentary.

Last week BBC director general Mark Thompson announced plans to offer 'personalised' radio online, to allow audiences to create personal radio stations.

UK broadcaster Channel 4, which recently launched an online radio station, has similar plans to create a 'user unique' radio service.

Meredith Artley, editor of IHT.com, said: "We are happy to give our readers the ability to listen to articles and to create their own customised podcasts.

"ReadSpeaker's innovation in audio services is another way the IHT is using new technologies to deliver the news when and how our readers want it."

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international herald tribune | audio news | readspeaker | meredith artley |

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