Are book and media publishers really living in the past?
The publishing industry is in transition, as every publishing executive is aware. It is silly to suggest print publishers aren't focused on here and now.
Dan Agin argues on The Huffington Post that the publishing industry is slitting its collective (and proverbial) throat and that “the big print publishers need to understand the reality of the 21st century”.
The publishing industry is in transition and I expect every major publishing house executive is fully aware of the fact. It is patently absurd to suggest big print publishers are anywhere other than the 21st century; not that they need me to be defending them (they’re big boys and girls).
Yes, some terrible errors of judgement are being made: the pricing debate is but one example. Publishers ought to focus on their value proposition, not price.
But they are also getting some things very right: discussions around ‘books as a service’ are incredibly encouraging.
If anyone out there knows how to transition a monolithic industry like publishing from print to bytes then get to it ‘cos you’ll make a stupid amount of money.
Actually, I think I’ll stick my hand up for that very job.