Cedar Knolls, NJ (May 25, 2005) – MediaBay, Inc., a leading digital media and publishing company specializing in spoken word and premium audio entertainment, and OverDrive, a leader in download audio books and eBooks for libraries, announced today a distribution agreement that will bring selections of MediaBay’s 50,000-hour library of classic radio programs to libraries across the United States through OverDrive’s Digital Library Reserve service.
Through this agreement with MediaBay, radio classics such as “The Jack Benny Show,” “The Shadow,” “Abbott & Costello,” among many more will be available for digital download to OverDrive’s library patrons. Leveraging MediaBay’s expansive collection of classic radio, OverDrive’s Digital Library Reserve service will give its library partners access to thousands of hours of old-time radio programs that originally aired from the 1930s to the 1960s, an era known as “The Golden Age of Radio.”
OverDrive’s network reaches nearly 1,000 libraries, including The New York Public Library, San Jose Public Library, Phoenix Public Library, and Cleveland Public Library, to name a few. MediaBay’s collection consists of popular and old-time radio programs that span a wide range of genres, including vintage comedy, mystery, detective, adventure, and suspense.
“We remain committed to preserving the history of American radio,” said Jeffrey Dittus, CEO, MediaBay, Inc. “Our partnership with OverDrive allows us to deliver this beloved nostalgic content to a broader demographic who may have previously been unaware of how to access it.”
“Our libraries are very excited to have access to these classic programs in a format that provides the ultimate in convenience,” said Steve Potash, OverDrive Founder and CEO. “We’ve seen a huge demand for this content, and we are thrilled to now offer MediaBay’s digitized collection. Consumers can download and listen to their favorite classic radio programs anytime, anywhere.”
The Digital Library Reserve platform provides Web-based services to libraries allowing library members to download digital content from any location with an Internet connection.
MediaBay Inc. is a leading digital media and publishing company specializing in spoken word and premium audio entertainment. The company maintains a library consisting of over 75,000 hours of content, including audio books from best-selling authors and the history of American Radio. Some of MediaBay’s digital content partners include Simon & Schuster, Random House, Harper Collins, Penguin Group (USA) Audio, Hay House, Sound Room Publishers, Oasis, Zondervan, BBC, Blackstone, and CBS Radio. In addition to its popular Audio Book Club, MediaBay distributes its content through proprietary web sites including audiobookclub.com and radiopsirits.com as well as through partner channels including LarryKingAudio.com, Loudeye, MSN Music, Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio.
OverDrive is the leading solution provider for digital media rights and distributes digital audio books, eBooks, and other digital content to retailers, wholesalers, and libraries in the US and the UK. OverDrive offers customized, web-based solutions that enable libraries to loan best-selling digital books and other forms of digital media to their patrons. Current customers include Cleveland Public Library, King County Public Library, Denver Public Library, New York Public Library, and San Jose Public Library, among many others. Strategic technology partners include Microsoft Corporation, Adobe Systems, Inc., Sirsi, Dynix, and Mobipocket. The company is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio and has been producing digital document solutions since 1986.