RBmedia, a global leader in spoken audio content and digital media distribution technology, today announced that it has acquired Gildan Media, a leading publisher of audiobooks for business, personal development, training, and education.
"The audiobook market continues to experience growth of over 30% annually in the U.S., and the business and professional development category is one of the fastest-growing segments within that market," says Troy Juliar, Chief Content Officer at RBmedia. "For the last decade, Gildan Media has dominated the business audiobook sector. With the power of RBmedia's global distribution platform behind it, the company is now positioned to extend its reach to millions more consumers."
By joining forces, Gildan Media can now access RBmedia's unique multi-channel distribution model, including direct-to-consumers via Audiobooks.com, through 10,000+ library partners, and via consumer digital resellers like Amazon's Audible.®
Based in New York, Gildan Media is home to many of the bestselling audiobooks in the business and personal development arena, and publishes works by both new and established authors. Its catalog currently offers more than 2,200 spoken audio titles, and continues to expand with the addition of over 250 new titles per year. In the business and personal development sectors, audiobook titles are evergreen, continually finding new and repeat listeners. This catalog is a strong complement to RBmedia's existing suite of both fiction and nonfiction audiobooks.
Gildan has exclusive audio rights to publish works from leading business authors, including Brian Tracy(The Science of Money: How to Increase Your Income and Become Wealthy), Grant Cardone (Be Obsessed or Be Average and The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure); the Napoleon Hill Foundation; and Dale Carnegie Associates. The company also produces numerous educational titles for John Wiley & Sons and other publishers of professional, technical, and trade books.
"Business audiobooks are in increasing demand by corporate training and education programs, and professional development titles are a mainstay to help lifelong learners improve their skills in numerous areas," says Gilles Dana, CEO of Gildan Media. "By partnering with RBmedia, the leading publisher of audiobooks in the world, we are in a stronger position than ever before to capitalize on this ever-expanding market."
As RBmedia's latest acquisition, Gildan joins an ever-expanding group of the best brands in spoken audio, including Recorded Books, Tantor Media, Highbridge, W.F. Howes, Wavesound, and Christian Audio.
RBmedia also announced today highlights of the company's recent performance. RBmedia is experiencing significant growth and expansion across its global spoken audio content and digital media distribution technology businesses.
Cooley LLP advised RBmedia and its owner, Shamrock Capital Partners, in the Gildan transaction.
About Gildan Media
Gildan Media is a spoken audio publishing company based in New York. The company specializes in personal development, business, training, and education. The Gildan titles are released under several imprints: Gildan Audio, Gildan Seminars, Gildan Press, Condensed Classics, Bibliomotion, and Sandler Training. Learn more at www.gildanmedia.com.
About RBmedia
RBmedia is a global leader in spoken audio content and digital media distribution technology that reaches millions of consumers – at home, in the car, and wherever their mobile devices take them. RBmedia produces exclusive titles and delivers the finest digital content – including audiobooks, educational courses, entertainment titles, and much more. Headquartered in Landover, Maryland, RBmedia comprises an ever-expanding group of the best brands in spoken audio content and digital media distribution technology. Find out more at www.rbmediaglobal.com.
