Editorial Standards

Last updated: May 2026

AudiobookRush is independent audiobook journalism. This page describes how we operate, what we publish, and where the lines are.

Editorial mission

We exist to make audiobook listeners feel seen and to make narrators feel celebrated. We cover the medium with curiosity, respect, and zero shame about loving it. We don’t take sides between platforms, between formats, or between traditional and self-published authors.

What we publish

AudiobookRush operates a five-tier content model:

Tier 1 — Aggregated feeds. We pull headlines and excerpts from 35+ industry sources (including publishers, the trade press, and narrator and listener communities). These appear primarily in Narrator News and Industry News. Every aggregated post links to its source and credits the original publisher.

Tier 2 — Curated alerts. We monitor industry keywords and surface stories that the automated feeds miss. Same attribution rules.

Tier 3 — Editor’s Picks. Weekly hand-selected posts with original framing, drawn from the aggregated feeds plus our own editorial reading. Editor’s Picks reflect our taste, not paid placement.

Tier 4 — The Rush. Original editorial. Written by AR staff and invited contributors. Five sections (At the Mic, Field Guides, Top Shelf, Inside the Industry, Rush Voice). Fully credited, fully editorial, never sponsored.

Tier 5 — What’s New sponsored listings. Publisher-paid upcoming-release listings, clearly labeled “Sponsored.” See the Sponsored Content section below.

Aggregation policy

When we surface a story from another publisher:

• We include the source name in the post.
• We link to the original article from the post title, the buy/read link, and at least one in-body link.
• We never copy more than a short excerpt; listeners click through to the original for the full story.
• We use canonical link tags pointing to the original publisher so search engines credit them, not us.
• We honor takedown requests from original publishers without dispute. Email press@audiobookrush.com.

Original content standards

For content we write ourselves:

• We verify facts before publishing.
• We disclose when we received free copies, advance access, or press materials.
• We correct errors promptly and visibly (see Corrections, below).
• We don’t use generative AI to write articles. We may use AI as a research or editing tool, but the published voice is human.
• We attribute quotes accurately and link to sources where possible.

Sponsored content policy

We accept sponsorship only in two places:

Sponsored What’s New listings. Publishers may pay for an upcoming-release listing in our What’s New section. Each sponsored listing carries a “Sponsored” label on the card. Sponsored What’s New listings:

• Appear in the same chronological feed as our editorial seed listings
• Do not unlock or influence editorial coverage in any other section
• Cannot be used to suppress negative editorial coverage of the same title elsewhere on the site
• Are limited to one listing per title (no “homepage takeover” or “exclusive launch” packages)

Display advertising. Standard ad zones (billboard, leaderboard, in-content) carry “Advertisement” labels. We may decline ads we find inconsistent with our editorial values.

What we don’t do: sponsored articles, sponsored reviews, paid placement in Editor’s Picks, paid mentions in The Rush, or affiliate-influenced rankings. If an editorial piece recommends a title, it’s because we recommend it.

Conflict of interest

AR staff and regular contributors disclose conflicts of interest in any article where they apply. Examples: a contributor cannot review a book by their spouse, a publisher they work for, or a narrator they represent. We err on the side of disclosure.

Corrections

We correct errors of fact promptly. When we update an article to correct a factual error, we add a dated correction note at the bottom of the article identifying what changed. Minor typo fixes are made without a correction note. If you spot an error, email hello@audiobookrush.com.

Removals and takedowns

We will consider removing aggregated content at the request of the original publisher. We will consider removing original content if it contains a verifiable factual error we cannot correct, contains material we don’t have the right to publish, or violates someone’s privacy in a way that can’t be addressed through correction. Email press@audiobookrush.com for removal requests.

Diversity and representation

We’re early in our publishing history, and we want to publish a broad range of voices — narrators, listeners, authors, and industry figures from different backgrounds. We’re working at it. If you have feedback on who we should be covering more, we want to hear it.

Contact

Editorial questions: press@audiobookrush.com
Tips and pitches: press@audiobookrush.com
General: hello@audiobookrush.com