On The Books

On the third day of #fbm26, we discuss what publishers can do differently about connecting with readers, with a focus on those who are 55 and older. Our guests in the studio have been observing and analyzing reader behavior for decades, and care deeply about the decline in readership and what the publishing industry can do about it:

How can publishers think about readers across their lifespan, especially now, when a generation of ferocious readers is growing old? How can distributors and publish dig more into data, and share it better going forward? And what are trends that help connecting with readers in the future? – expect this and more, live On The Books.

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On The Books is the witty, caffeine-fueled morning show for the global publishing community — presented by Publishing Perspectives & Remote Daily. Broadcasting live from Frankfurter Buchmesse 2026, hosts Erin Cox and Felix Zeltner deliver sharp insights, breaking news, and host irresistible guests inside publishing’s busiest halls.

https://on-the-books.podigee.io/

On the opening day of #fbm26, we are joined by two leaders in our cosy podcast studio who are advocating for freedom of expression, freedom to publish, and are building community all around the world. constantly elevating brave people in the publishing industry:

Expect a political kick-off to this year's On The Books LIVE at #fbm26.

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On The Books is the witty, caffeine-fueled morning show for the global publishing community — presented by Publishing Perspectives & Remote Daily. Broadcasting live from Frankfurter Buchmesse 2026, hosts Erin Cox and Felix Zeltner deliver sharp insights, breaking news, and host irresistible guests inside publishing’s busiest halls.

Ahead of the fair, On The Books hosts Erin Cox and Felix Zeltner unpack the biggest shifts shaping the industry.

At the top of the list: AI. After several years of hype and experimentation, publishers are confronting tougher questions about how and whether artificial intelligence should be used – from copyright to responsible AI to translation – and what happens when technology developed largely in English begins reshaping literature and language around the world.

Erin and Felix also look at the continued rise of audiobooks and the opportunity audio and AI could create in underserved languages and markets. And at the growing power of readers themselves: BookTok, reading parties, niche book clubs and online communities are impacting bestseller lists – sometimes years after publication. This power shift is even changing the physical layout of Frankfurter Buchmesse, as the fair makes more room for reader engagement alongside its traditional B2B business.

They look deeper into the fair, from the launch of Frankfurt’s new LatAm Stage, Czechia’s appearance as Guest of Honour under the motto “A Country on the Coast”, and the transition from longtime Frankfurter Buchmesse director Juergen Boos to Joachim Kaufmann.

Finally, they discuss one of publishing’s hardest problems: Who gets to enter the industry – and who gets to lead it? And Erin reveals her number-one book fair survival hack. (Spoiler: this year, it does not involve dried broccoli.)

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On The Books will be live at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2026, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning. Tune in on YouTube!

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This episode of On The Books is proudly sponsored by Audible, a leading provider and producer of premium audio storytelling with the largest selection of audiobooks available. Its latest full-cast production Dracula is a spine-tingling, immersive adaptation of Bram Stoker’s chilling psychological thriller. Available across the globe - and exclusively on Audible - Dracula has been adapted for seven international languages, with each version featuring all-star local casts.

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Resources mentioned:

Frankfurter Buchmesse 2026 — program, events and tickets for the 78th Frankfurt Book Fair, taking place October 7–11, 2026

Guest of Honour: Czechia — “A Country on the Coast”

Jill Lepore — the American historian and New Yorker writer will speak at the Opening Press Conference of Frankfurter Buchmesse 2026

“Is A.I. Above the Law?” by Jill Lepore — the New Yorker essay referenced in the podcast:

LatAm Stage — Frankfurt’s new stage dedicated to the publishing markets, authors and ideas of Latin America

Asia Stage — conversations and market insights from across the Asian publishing ecosystem

The Hof — Frankfurter Buchmesse’s live community series

Publishing Perspectives — international news and analysis covering the global publishing business

On the final episode hosted live at Frankfurter Buchmesse 205, hosts Felix Zeltner and Erin Cox sit down with two extraordinary builders of community and culture:

Yuliia Kozlovets, Director of the Book Arsenal Festival in Kyiv, keeps a literary festival alive through air-raids and blackouts, proving that stories outlast war.

“The question every Ukrainian is asked: how are you doing? The answer is: we are doing.” – Yuliia Kozlovets

Tim Leberecht, Co-founder and Co-CEO of the House of Beautiful Business. runs a global movement to make humans more human and business more beautiful.

“Art is the most powerful form of resistance." – Tim Leberecht

Connect with our guests:

Resources:

Live from #fbm25, host Felix Zeltner and co-host Erin Cox sit down with Sophie Goldsworthy, Global Academic Publisher at Oxford University Press, and Candy Gourlay, Filipino journalist and author ("Wild Song").

They discuss the emotion of experiencing the Philippines as Guest of Honor, the power of telling hidden histories, and how AI and academic innovation are reshaping publishing — without losing its human soul.

“When I arrived in England 35 years ago, people only saw Filipinos as maids or nurses. My books show who we really are.” – Candy Gourlay

“We’re creating Oxford Intersections to bring disciplines together to solve complex global topics; from AI to climate.” – Sophie Goldsworthy

Connect with our guests:

Resources

🎧 On The Books is live at Frankfurt Book Fair 2025 — new episodes daily!

In this late-night special from Frankfurter Buchmesse, host Felix Zeltner sits down with Sara Lloyd, Global Communications Director & AI Lead at Macmillan Trade Group, and Meru Gokhale, founder of Editrix and former Publisher of Penguin Random House India. Together they discuss how AI is changing publishing – and what future skills matter most.

“Two years ago people looked at me like I was the devil for talking about AI. Now they’re leaning in.” – Meru Gokhale

“AI can help us solve the reading crisis — let’s teach kids to love books again.” – Sara Lloyd

Guests

🔗 Meru Gokhale – Founder, Editrix

Resources

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Frankfurt Book Fair and Guests

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On The Books is the witty, caffeine-fueled morning show for the global publishing community — presented by Publishing Perspectives & Remote Daily. Broadcasting live from Frankfurter Buchmesse, hosts Erin Cox and Felix Zeltner deliver sharp insights, breaking news, and host irresistible guests inside publishing’s busiest halls. Expect the kind of conversations you only overhear in line for coffee at Frankfurt.

Welcome to On The Books, the brand-new morning show for the global publishing community — presented by Publishing Perspectives and Remote Daily. Hosts Erin Cox and Felix Zeltner launch the show live from the heart of Frankfurter Buchmesse 2025 — with daily updates, expert guests, and a healthy dose of fun.

“If you come too close, bring gossip, a good question – or a musical talent.” – Erin Cox

☕ Tune in live every morning 9:00–9:40 CET on the Publishing Perspectives YouTube channel – and on demand everywhere you get your podcasts.

See you in Frankfurt!