Amazon Music Adds Synced Transcripts to Podcasts
Amazon Music Introduces Synchronized Podcast Transcripts
Amazon Music is now providing auto-generated, synchronized transcripts for a selection of podcasts. This new functionality is being released to users located in the United States.
The rollout is occurring with the newest iteration of the Amazon Music application for both iOS and Android devices. Initially, these transcripts will be accessible for recent episodes from podcasts produced by Amazon Originals and Wondery, a network under Amazon’s ownership.
Expanded Availability
Beyond Amazon’s own productions, transcripts will also be available for specific programs from several other prominent podcast networks. These include American Public Media, audiochuck, Cadence13, The New York Times, Stitcher, and TED.
Popular shows like “My Favorite Murder,” “Crime Junkie,” “Modern Love,” and “This American Life” are among those included in this initial launch.
A Significant Feature Update
This marks the first substantial podcast-specific feature implemented within the Amazon Music app since the addition of podcasts to the platform in September 2020.
Spotify previously conducted beta testing of a comparable feature in May, focusing on Spotify Exclusive and Original shows.
Podcast creators utilizing Apple Podcasts have the option to incorporate transcriptions into their show notes, enabling searchability within the app. However, this differs from the synchronized audio experience now offered by Amazon Music.
How the Feature Works
Listeners have the option to view the transcript in a standard paragraph format directly within the app.
Alternatively, they can listen to the podcast while simultaneously following along with the transcript, with the spoken words being highlighted in real-time.
This functionality also provides a convenient method for locating specific segments within a podcast episode. Users can scrub through the audio and preview the corresponding text, similar to viewing thumbnails when scrubbing a video.
Accessibility and Importance of Transcripts
Transcriptions are crucial for making podcasts accessible to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, as podcasting is primarily an audio-based medium.
While many podcasters currently provide transcriptions on their websites, this feature introduces an additional avenue for experiencing podcast content.
In the realm of live audio, live captioning is a vital accessibility component. Twitter Spaces currently offers this capability, but Clubhouse has not yet integrated it.
