(19 May 2007 2:15 pm)

MUMBAI: Amazon.com has launched its Amazon Podcasts network, a series that offers customers four channels of free content: Amazon BookClips, Music You Should Hear, Significant Seven and Amazon Wire, all available at www.amazon.com/podcast.

The company expects to offer several additional channels in the coming months to meet its customers’ increasing demand for rich content related to the products they shop for every day on Amazon.com. Each podcast is available via streaming and download from Amazon.com, and through RSS and iTunes. Amazon Wire is also available on Tivo.

Amazon.com senior manager of editorial Kristi Coulter says, "Amazon Podcasts offers customers exclusive content and interviews they won’t find anywhere else. Amazon is continually finding ways to improve the service we provide to our millions of customers. Thanks to this new and innovative podcast series, listeners can get more exclusive information about the artists, authors and actors they love."

Amazon BookClips is a weekly podcast offering customers a free sneak peek at some of the most popular soon-to-be-released audiobooks. Upcoming titles include "Einstein" by Walter Isaacson and "I Heard That Song Before" by Mary Higgins Clark, plus an exclusive, advance preview of Janet Evanovich’s "Lean Mean 13."

Music You Should Hear is a free, weekly MP3 podcast whereby customers receive an MP3 recording featuring complete songs from developing and indie artists, selected by Amazon’s music editors. Upcoming episodes will include music from Jenny Owen Youngs, Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter, Menomena, Ryan Shaw and more.

Significant Seven is a monthly podcast in which book editors from Amazon.com talk about seven of the most exciting upcoming books before they are released. Each book featured in the Significant Seven will be discounted 40 per cent for a limited time.

Amazon Wire is a biweekly podcast featuring interviews with some of today’s hottest authors, actors, directors and musicians. In the coming weeks, Amazon Wire will feature Ralph Nader, John Malkovich and Dolores O’Riordan.

Amazon Wire launched with a large library of previously recorded content from popular personalities such as personal finance guru Suze Orman, bestselling authors Michael Crichton and Khaled Hosseini, Grammy Award-winning artist Sting, "Saturday Night Live" creator Lorne Michaels and Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh. Other popular guests include Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, Kirk Douglas, Wes Craven, Madeleine Albright, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Joss Stone.