Audio ads in The Economist Audio Edition

(Update March 27: It seems the audio ads are removed – well done, The Economist! Subscription continuing.)

(This is an e-mail I’ve sent to The Economist customer service.)

Dear The Economist,

I’ve been a loyal subscriber for about 10 years. For the last few years I have mostly consumed your newspaper through the audio edition. It is an excellent way to get in-depth news coverage when walking or driving, and both the content and the presentation are usually top notch.

In the last couple of editions, you have inserted audio advertisements. This disrupts my concentration and the good mood I’m usually in when listening to The Economist.

Unlike paper ads, audio ads cannot be skipped in a heartbeat. My mobile phone is in my pocket or on the passanger car seat, and when walking or driving it is a huge nuisance to pick it up, unlock it, find the music player and fast-forward past the ad (in the mp3 edition).

This deliberate degradation of your newspaper is annoying enough that I’m probably going to cancel my subscription by February unless you reverse it.

Do you have any plans to evaluate the audio ads and consider removing them?

Best regards,

Are Espelid Wold

Tags: advertising, audio, audio edition, The Economist