Thursday, January 1, 2009
Convergence
Convergence is altering almost all aspects of the book industry. Most obviously the Internet is changing the way books are distributed and sold. But this new technology, in the form of e-publishing, the publication of books initially or exclusively online, offers a new way for writers’ idea to be published.
Demand for Profits and Hypercommercialism
The threat from conglomeration is seen in the parent company’s overemphasis on the bottom line - that is, profitability at all costs. Unlike in the days when G. P. Putnam’s sons and the Schuster family actually ran the houses that carried their names, critics fear that now little pride is taken in the content of books and that risk taking (tackling controversial issues, experimenting with new styles, finding and nurturing new authors is becoming rarer and rarer.
Growth of Small Presses
The overcommercialization of the book industry is mitigated somewhat by the rise in the number of smaller publishing houses. Although these smaller operations are large in number, they account for a very small proportion of books sold. Nonetheless, as recently as 7 years ago there were 20,000 U. S. book publishers. Today , they are more than 78,000, the vast majority being “small presses”. They cannot compete in the block buster world. By definition alternative, they specialize in specific areas such as the environment, feminism, gay issues, and how-to.
Convergence is altering almost all aspects of the book industry. Most obviously the Internet is changing the way books are distributed and sold. But this new technology, in the form of e-publishing, the publication of books initially or exclusively online, offers a new way for writers’ idea to be published.
Demand for Profits and Hypercommercialism
The threat from conglomeration is seen in the parent company’s overemphasis on the bottom line - that is, profitability at all costs. Unlike in the days when G. P. Putnam’s sons and the Schuster family actually ran the houses that carried their names, critics fear that now little pride is taken in the content of books and that risk taking (tackling controversial issues, experimenting with new styles, finding and nurturing new authors is becoming rarer and rarer.
Growth of Small Presses
The overcommercialization of the book industry is mitigated somewhat by the rise in the number of smaller publishing houses. Although these smaller operations are large in number, they account for a very small proportion of books sold. Nonetheless, as recently as 7 years ago there were 20,000 U. S. book publishers. Today , they are more than 78,000, the vast majority being “small presses”. They cannot compete in the block buster world. By definition alternative, they specialize in specific areas such as the environment, feminism, gay issues, and how-to.
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