NY Times Audio

The New York Times is expanding further into audio with

five new offerings for Amazon.com Inc.’s speakers,

including a shorter version of its hit podcast, “The Daily.”

Starting Friday, “The Daily” will produce a news briefing

on weekdays for the Amazon Echo, a voice-enabled

speaker with a built-in assistant named Alexa. The free

news briefing will be sponsored by the carmaker Audi

and be read by host Michael Barbaro.

The 167-year-old paper is trying to rely less on print while

seeking new forms of digital distribution. The new programs

also let the company capitalize on booming sales of smart

speakers -- devices that include Google Home and Apple

HomePod. Last week, Amazon said it has sold more than

100 million products with Alexa built in.

“The Daily” podcast takes a deep dive into a specific news

topic and typically runs about 20 minutes. The new briefing,

in contrast, will only be about three minutes. Owners of

Amazon speakers can start it by saying “Alexa, enable the

New York Times briefing.”