Most Active Articles 2009-11-24T11:42:40.781-05:00 Business Exchange Business_Exchange@businessweek.com urn:com:businessweek:bx:topic:most-active:book-retailing Hardy Green hgreen173 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:4592451285950309220-e8677f102ae0017203d95f6d68148ccc 2009-11-11T17:38:40.752-05:00

What do consumers think about ebook prices? What will be the impacts on the book industry of an aging population and a less affluent, time-starved generation of younger readers? How should publishers and booksellers respond to these demographic trends and how quickly should they expect book-buyers to return when the recession ends?

What do consumers think about ebook prices? What will be the impacts on the book industry of an aging population and a less affluent, time-starved generation of younger readers? How should publishers and booksellers respond to these demographic trends and how quickly should they expect book-buyers to return when the recession ends? http://publishingpoint.ning.com/video/jonathan-nowell-president Pete Nikolai pnikolai463 8 7 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:8699844815871168656-ddbe825cf7e6e875cdfd56c4a4a96491 2009-11-10T10:40:39.509-05:00

Why can't a device vendor go with more of a cell phone model, where the low price of the device is subsidized by the longer-term commitment to buying content? How many Kindles do you suppose Amazon could sell if they priced it at $99, or $49? The device costs more than that to make, not to mention the cellular charges they pay Sprint, so why would Amazon price device so low? Hoping that they "make it up in volume" won't help...they'll just lose that much more money in total. But what if all the ebook editions Amazon sells for the Kindle weren't $9.99 but something much closer to the print book's price on Amazon? So a $30 book at 33% off would be $20 for the Kindle edition (as opposed to $9.99 currently), pretty much the same as what you'd pay for the print version. Now there's a bigger margin left over for Amazon to keep part of (to cover the loss on the sale of the device), share some with the publisher/author and even pay Sprint. And oh, btw, we'd put an end to the model where some publishers are delaying the e-version so as not to cannibalize the print version's sales. Publishers would be indifferent, if not prefer the e-version since there's no cost for manufacturing, inventory or returns...

Why can't a device vendor go with more of a cell phone model, where the low price of the device is subsidized by the longer-term commitment to buying content? How many Kindles do you suppose Amazon could sell if they priced it at $99, or $49? The device costs more than that to make, not to mention the cellular charges they pay Sprint, so why would Amazon price device so low? Hoping that they "make it up in volume" won't help...they'll just lose that much more money in total. But what if all the ebook editions Amazon sells for the Kindle weren't $9.99 but something much closer to the print book's price on Amazon? So a $30 book at 33% off would be $20 for the Kindle edition (as opposed to $9.99 currently), pretty much the same as what you'd pay for the print version. Now there's a bigger margin left over for Amazon to keep part of (to cover the loss on the sale of the device), share some with the publisher/author and even pay Sprint. And oh, btw, we'd put an end to the model where some publishers are delaying the e-version so as not to cannibalize the print version's sales. Publishers would be indifferent, if not prefer the e-version since there's no cost for manufacturing, inventory or returns... http://jwikert.typepad.com/the_average_joe/2009/11/is-the-ereader-financial-model-upside-down.html Pete Nikolai pnikolai463 3 2 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:14769207517537033286-f1a83e38e21300a6b43c67e4098647b2 2009-10-26T12:03:30.341-04:00

A core organizing principle the publishing landscape is that it is now “emergent” (arising out of a multiplicity of relatively simple interactions). Or, in relatively simple terms, each action by hardware companies, software companies, media companies, artists, writers, publishers, and retailers affects the landscape. The falling of barriers to entry has increased the number of these actors operating on the landscape, and their degree of interdependence has grown. So not only will things continue to change, the rate of change itself is likely to increase. We are not just in transition from one state or model to another state or model, we’re in transition to a state of permanent accelerated transition where the model is continuous rapid reinvention. Publishing will never be stable again...

A core organizing principle the publishing landscape is that it is now “emergent” (arising out of a multiplicity of relatively simple interactions). Or, in relatively simple terms, each action by hardware companies, software companies, media companies, artists, writers, publishers, and retailers affects the landscape. The falling of barriers to entry has increased the number of these actors operating on the landscape, and their degree of interdependence has grown. So not only will things continue to change, the rate of change itself is likely to increase. We are not just in transition from one state or model to another state or model, we’re in transition to a state of permanent accelerated transition where the model is continuous rapid reinvention. Publishing will never be stable again... http://rnash.com/article/the-emergent-landscape-or-the-continuous-permenant-reinvention-of-publishin/ Pete Nikolai pnikolai463 8 7 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:3988966421006958325-94fb013ca9eee4b0433ac8a6b8c093ed 2009-10-23T22:47:46.700-04:00

When splits are accounted for, that is.

When splits are accounted for, that is. http://www.businessinsider.com/henry-blodget-amazon-blasts-to-new-all-time-high-of-700-a-share-2009-10 Thomas Huynh thuynh381 3 1 1 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:9864260009745997905-cb2e20104e8287ace4e278a5ab1f25d1 2009-10-27T14:16:59.885-04:00

HP BookPrep is a cloud computing service that enables on-demand printing of books and brings new life to the traditional publishing model by making it possible to bring any book ever published back into print through an economical and sustainable service model. As part of a growing movement to preserve and digitize historic content, major libraries are partnering with technology leaders to scan previously hard-to-find works using high-resolution photography. HP’s process transforms these scans prior to printing by cleaning up some of the wear and tear that often is present in the originals. HP BookPrep significantly drives down the cost of republishing books by eliminating the manual cleanup work that would otherwise be required. Based on imaging and printing technology from HP Labs, the company’s central research arm, HP BookPrep automates the creation of high-quality, print-ready books from these raw book scans by sharpening text and images, improving alignment and coloration, and generating and adding covers. People can now purchase high-quality print versions of public-domain, out-of-print books through HP BookPrep channels, including traditional and online retailers such as Amazon.com.

HP BookPrep is a cloud computing service that enables on-demand printing of books and brings new life to the traditional publishing model by making it possible to bring any book ever published back into print through an economical and sustainable service model. As part of a growing movement to preserve and digitize historic content, major libraries are partnering with technology leaders to scan previously hard-to-find works using high-resolution photography. HP’s process transforms these scans prior to printing by cleaning up some of the wear and tear that often is present in the originals. HP BookPrep significantly drives down the cost of republishing books by eliminating the manual cleanup work that would otherwise be required. Based on imaging and printing technology from HP Labs, the company’s central research arm, HP BookPrep automates the creation of high-quality, print-ready books from these raw book scans by sharpening text and images, improving alignment and coloration, and generating and adding covers. People can now purchase high-quality print versions of public-domain, out-of-print books through HP BookPrep channels, including traditional and online retailers such as Amazon.com. http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2009/091021xc.html Pete Nikolai pnikolai463 5 4 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:15781642957764971941-a81b1cb8d7112022964d6a03720ed257 2009-10-22T19:36:00.538-04:00

The American Booksellers Association, which represents independently owned bookstores, has sent a letter to the Justice Department asking it to investigate what it describes as “predatory pricing” by Amazon, Wal-Mart and Target.

The American Booksellers Association, which represents independently owned bookstores, has sent a letter to the Justice Department asking it to investigate what it describes as “predatory pricing” by Amazon, Wal-Mart and Target. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/books/23price.html Thomas Huynh thuynh381 5 4 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:6821015942764640809-1fda5314555390eb06db81648e25f49a 2009-10-21T11:03:39.365-04:00

I admit it. I buy music from an online store. I read the newspaper online. I read magazines online. I listen to the radio online. I occasionally download a movie rental from the Web, instead of schlepping to the video store. I no longer have stacks...

I admit it. I buy music from an online store. I read the newspaper online. I read magazines online. I listen to the radio online. I occasionally download a movie rental from the Web, instead of schlepping to the video store. I no longer have stacks... http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/voices/2009/10/e-readers-feh.html?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=fanpage&utm_campaign=pbskids Sandy McCarron smccarron608 3 2 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:9662273202380689408-21da55b192fd337b2c02cb8183d640a8 2009-10-27T08:47:27.327-04:00

In an earlier blog entry on content, readers provided a number of interesting comments. If you haven't already read that article (and the comments), you may want to do so in order to understand this new article. Many did not agree with my point of view.

In an earlier blog entry on content, readers provided a number of interesting comments. If you haven't already read that article (and the comments), you may want to do so in order to understand this new article. Many did not agree with my point of view. http://www.business-strategy-innovation.com/2009/10/content-is-no-longer-king-part-2.html Braden Kelley bkelley034 3 3 0 0 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:6489172711019126859-a9335cdafb68d972d2b1e8004c89f058 2009-10-09T16:26:45.310-04:00

Editing, graphic design, marketing, and author royalties make up about 77% of the cost of a book so an ebook would have to be priced at $21 to maintain the same profit as a $28 hardcover--not the artificially low $10 currently common on Amazon and other sites. Big authors demand big royalties so in the future any ebook priced less than $20 will be from an author that was not so big when the contract was signed. Layer on the high cost of returns and it becomes easier to see why book publishers are struggling to deliver the low priced products expected online...

Editing, graphic design, marketing, and author royalties make up about 77% of the cost of a book so an ebook would have to be priced at $21 to maintain the same profit as a $28 hardcover--not the artificially low $10 currently common on Amazon and other sites. Big authors demand big royalties so in the future any ebook priced less than $20 will be from an author that was not so big when the contract was signed. Layer on the high cost of returns and it becomes easier to see why book publishers are struggling to deliver the low priced products expected online... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-ross/cant-we-all-just-get-alon_b_313641.html Pete Nikolai pnikolai463 11 10 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:10196530014418395165-71923fb0e2db7b6cf80782f749cd9bdf 2009-10-19T17:52:23.571-04:00

Wal-Mart and Amazon are in a price war over sales of hardcover editions of some of the coming holiday season’s biggest potential best sellers. Publishers, booksellers, agents and authors, meanwhile, fretted that the battle was taking prices for certain hardcover titles so low that it could fundamentally damage the industry and the ability of future authors to write or publish new works. The beleaguered industry is already worried about the effect of $9.99 e-books and a slowdown in book sales over all. Publishing industry veterans were worried about the potential long-term effect on the consumer mindset. The immediate impact of the low prices was likely to be felt by other bookstores, including chains like Barnes & Noble and Borders. Borders said that it relies on offering a true bookstore experience — the opportunity to explore a vast array of titles within a comfortable environment where shoppers can go where their interests take them. Independent booksellers have long struggled to compete with discounts and tend to rely on the loyalty of customers who value staff recommendations and author events as much as prices. Putting independent stores out of business could ultimately affect what would get published...

Wal-Mart and Amazon are in a price war over sales of hardcover editions of some of the coming holiday season’s biggest potential best sellers. Publishers, booksellers, agents and authors, meanwhile, fretted that the battle was taking prices for certain hardcover titles so low that it could fundamentally damage the industry and the ability of future authors to write or publish new works. The beleaguered industry is already worried about the effect of $9.99 e-books and a slowdown in book sales over all. Publishing industry veterans were worried about the potential long-term effect on the consumer mindset. The immediate impact of the low prices was likely to be felt by other bookstores, including chains like Barnes & Noble and Borders. Borders said that it relies on offering a true bookstore experience — the opportunity to explore a vast array of titles within a comfortable environment where shoppers can go where their interests take them. Independent booksellers have long struggled to compete with discounts and tend to rely on the loyalty of customers who value staff recommendations and author events as much as prices. Putting independent stores out of business could ultimately affect what would get published... http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/17/books/17price.html Pete Nikolai pnikolai463 2 1 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:4856227832696590645-ba5f810e4aa31851c15429c4d13b95be 2009-10-19T17:09:46.669-04:00

Many library patrons can now check out ebooks and audiobooks and download them while on their computer at home--for free. Many of those borrower might not otherwise use the library, but the digital collections are still tiny compared with print troves. Circulation is expanding quickly with the number of checkouts growing by over 20%. That expansion could be greater but it is being slowed partly because, with few exceptions, ebooks in libraries cannot be read on Amazon’s Kindle, the best-selling electronic reader. Most digital books in libraries are treated like printed ones: only one borrower can check out an ebook at a time so patrons must wait in line. After two to three weeks, the e-book automatically expires from a reader’s account. Some publishers worry that the convenience of borrowing books electronically could ultimately cut into sales of print editions as patrons switch from buying books to checking out ebooks from libraries or downloading pirate editions off the internet. The recession has driven many new users to seek free resources, but few library patrons seem to be aware that ebook collections even exist--yet. Some librarians suggest that because digital books never wear out, take up no shelf space and could, in theory, be read by multiple people at the same time, the purchasing model for e-books should be different than it is for print. Instead of purchasing a set number of digital copies of a book, many would prefer to buy one copy and pay a nominal licensing fee each time a patron downloads it. Publishers generally charge the same price for e-books as they do for print editions, but online retailers currently subsidize the sale price of best sellers by marking them down to $9.99 so libraries end up paying more for their ebooks than consumers do. Academic publishers have been more willing to experiment with subscription models, inviting libraries to pay an annual fee for unlimited access to certain books. Some publishers believe that library ebooks, like print versions, can attract new customers. But some patrons are considering purchasing an electronic reader so they can borrow ebooks for free rather than buy print editions.

Many library patrons can now check out ebooks and audiobooks and download them while on their computer at home--for free. Many of those borrower might not otherwise use the library, but the digital collections are still tiny compared with print troves. Circulation is expanding quickly with the number of checkouts growing by over 20%. That expansion could be greater but it is being slowed partly because, with few exceptions, ebooks in libraries cannot be read on Amazon’s Kindle, the best-selling electronic reader. Most digital books in libraries are treated like printed ones: only one borrower can check out an ebook at a time so patrons must wait in line. After two to three weeks, the e-book automatically expires from a reader’s account. Some publishers worry that the convenience of borrowing books electronically could ultimately cut into sales of print editions as patrons switch from buying books to checking out ebooks from libraries or downloading pirate editions off the internet. The recession has driven many new users to seek free resources, but few library patrons seem to be aware that ebook collections even exist--yet. Some librarians suggest that because digital books never wear out, take up no shelf space and could, in theory, be read by multiple people at the same time, the purchasing model for e-books should be different than it is for print. Instead of purchasing a set number of digital copies of a book, many would prefer to buy one copy and pay a nominal licensing fee each time a patron downloads it. Publishers generally charge the same price for e-books as they do for print editions, but online retailers currently subsidize the sale price of best sellers by marking them down to $9.99 so libraries end up paying more for their ebooks than consumers do. Academic publishers have been more willing to experiment with subscription models, inviting libraries to pay an annual fee for unlimited access to certain books. Some publishers believe that library ebooks, like print versions, can attract new customers. But some patrons are considering purchasing an electronic reader so they can borrow ebooks for free rather than buy print editions. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/books/15libraries.html Pete Nikolai pnikolai463 2 1 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:15297104553096755537-3a092f32f8a3e4c5bc0330b60d5c3c2e 2009-09-29T08:44:29.977-04:00

Having ramped up her metabolism from magazines to online journalism with The Daily Beast, Tina Brown now wants to speed up book publishing. Skip to next paragraph Ozier Muhammad/The New York Times David Steinberger of Perseus Books and Tina Brown of...

Having ramped up her metabolism from magazines to online journalism with The Daily Beast, Tina Brown now wants to speed up book publishing. Skip to next paragraph Ozier Muhammad/The New York Times David Steinberger of Perseus Books and Tina Brown of... http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/29/books/29beas.html Michelle Lockett mlockett714 5 2 1 2 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:5628761788835470782-7ca0f2f07f99cdfbb0fd0889189eea0e 2009-10-05T19:05:35.459-04:00

Breaking the DRM of a print book means spending hours with a scanner. This is a price few are probably willing to pay. The bottom line for publishers and authors? Yes, your eBook will get Napsterized. But if you can still sell plenty of hard copies, then you'll probably be fine. Control distribution to maximize your print sales.

Breaking the DRM of a print book means spending hours with a scanner. This is a price few are probably willing to pay. The bottom line for publishers and authors? Yes, your eBook will get Napsterized. But if you can still sell plenty of hard copies, then you'll probably be fine. Control distribution to maximize your print sales. http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/05/will-the-the-kindle-kill-the-book-biz-not-likely/ Pete Nikolai pnikolai463 10 9 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:3612698594897503379-43ddef7466cc96a298a8506c76838fcf 2009-09-25T17:27:09.359-04:00

If we accept that social interaction is paramount for success in publishing, then it's important to ask "what is the place for interaction regarding books?"

If we accept that social interaction is paramount for success in publishing, then it's important to ask "what is the place for interaction regarding books?" http://www.futureofthebook.org/blog/archives/2009/09/a_clean_well-lighted_place_for.html Pete Nikolai pnikolai463 3 1 1 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:1132112229680193176-036b1e97566ea6a11cf6f5ea144dc5bf 2009-10-18T11:29:57.870-04:00

In what seems to me be a short-sighted move, German book publishers have tried to stem the growth of the eBook market.

In what seems to me be a short-sighted move, German book publishers have tried to stem the growth of the eBook market. http://www.daniweb.com/news/story231190.html Ron Miller rmiller046 0 0 0 0 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:11969553946468873355-038efd79e5b857425fea9dc922f1bab2 2009-09-30T10:32:13.792-04:00

Sony announced a partnership with Author Solutions which will allow books by self-published authors to be uploaded to their eBook Store. When books and shelves are digital, rules about scarcity go out the window, eliminating the need for gatekeepers and allowing unheralded scribes to bubble to the surface based only on the crowd’s reaction. But as the gatekeepers (publishers) are surpassed, another issue appears: overabundance of choice on the part of the reader. When there’s more hay in the stack, the needles have to be all the shinier if anyone’s going to find them...

Sony announced a partnership with Author Solutions which will allow books by self-published authors to be uploaded to their eBook Store. When books and shelves are digital, rules about scarcity go out the window, eliminating the need for gatekeepers and allowing unheralded scribes to bubble to the surface based only on the crowd’s reaction. But as the gatekeepers (publishers) are surpassed, another issue appears: overabundance of choice on the part of the reader. When there’s more hay in the stack, the needles have to be all the shinier if anyone’s going to find them... http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/09/sony-opens-up-ebook-platform-to-self-publishers/ Pete Nikolai pnikolai463 2 1 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:17560458529372856631-9c315a73a527a9908cd20fe908c7ec62 2009-09-24T15:01:40.964-04:00

Book publishers actively market and promote big name authors, but for thousands of writers it's a figure-it-out-yourself world of creating book trailer videos, Web sites, blogs, social networks, and scheduling your own signings. Being an author requires developing an ongoing relationship with your audience through the Web. Writers with small advances and limited resources are expected to treat their book as a new company, with marketing and promotion and PR. This trend is driven by the ease of Internet marketing and the need to keep up with the competition...

Book publishers actively market and promote big name authors, but for thousands of writers it's a figure-it-out-yourself world of creating book trailer videos, Web sites, blogs, social networks, and scheduling your own signings. Being an author requires developing an ongoing relationship with your audience through the Web. Writers with small advances and limited resources are expected to treat their book as a new company, with marketing and promotion and PR. This trend is driven by the ease of Internet marketing and the need to keep up with the competition... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/23/AR2009092304603.html Pete Nikolai pnikolai463 4 3 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:8221774849363346155-407439df56ff1536703095f238a1283f 2009-01-09T13:35:52.013-05:00

Publishing legend Jason Epstein says the only way to save the book industry is to get rid of all the books.

Publishing legend Jason Epstein says the only way to save the book industry is to get rid of all the books. http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-01-08/an-autopsy-of-the-book-business/ Hardy Green hgreen173 48 45 2 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:8083918142603529337-7e12cad4753695fd79f4d3391718dc1e 2009-09-06T16:22:00.813-04:00

A copyright black hole swallows our culture By James Boyle Published: September 6 2009 20:02 | Last updated: September 6 2009 20:02 Librarians call it the 20th-century black hole. The overwhelming force is not gravity but copyright law, sucking our...

A copyright black hole swallows our culture By James Boyle Published: September 6 2009 20:02 | Last updated: September 6 2009 20:02 Librarians call it the 20th-century black hole. The overwhelming force is not gravity but copyright law, sucking our... http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6811a9d4-9b0f-11de-a3a1-00144feabdc0.html?referrer_id=yahoofinance&ft_ref=yahoo1&segid=03058&nclick_check=1 Robert Hof rhof604 5 4 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:5260183364207176273-8647677da7ba006dd9a6d6a3f23bd158 2009-09-10T16:27:13.495-04:00

Google is developing an online subscription and micropayment system that will enable online content providers to more easily charge for their content. Google's planned system, which the company described in a proposal to the Newspaper Association of America, emphasizes subscriptions but enables micropayments as well.

Google is developing an online subscription and micropayment system that will enable online content providers to more easily charge for their content. Google's planned system, which the company described in a proposal to the Newspaper Association of America, emphasizes subscriptions but enables micropayments as well. http://www.businessinsider.com/henry-blodget-google-launching-micropayments-and-subscription-system-to-save-newspapers-2009-9 Pete Nikolai pnikolai463 3 2 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:5613113330389541243-575e2c9051cd275945b8e67400d72b4e 2009-07-31T13:43:34.679-04:00

Googld to host content, provide through stores. Google as book distributor a la Ingram?

Googld to host content, provide through stores. Google as book distributor a la Ingram? http://www.bookbusinessmag.com/article/books-stored-google-cloud-so-any-bookstore-can-sell-google-edition-410614_1.html Steve Kotrch skotrch954 10 8 1 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:4553472229132506974-705b04024dfdea79b08502439f89ff8f 2009-09-11T16:13:32.382-04:00

In response to opposition, Google has offered to let other retailers sell access to the out-of-print books that it scanned, including "orphan works" whose authors are unknown or cannot be found. Google would keep "only a small slice" of the revenue generated...

In response to opposition, Google has offered to let other retailers sell access to the out-of-print books that it scanned, including "orphan works" whose authors are unknown or cannot be found. Google would keep "only a small slice" of the revenue generated... http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/technology/internet/11books.html Pete Nikolai pnikolai463 1 0 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:4606731326342086627-d48d5a7b659de8ceb101e9bab509a547 2009-08-31T12:30:26.168-04:00

The pressure from Google’s digital library project and Amazon’s electronic books is forcing publishers to consider drastic price cuts. Unilateral pricing Amazon and other e-book retailers such as Barnes & Noble could destroy profits and kill the lucrative trade in hardback editions. Google plans to put millions of out-of-copyright books online for free public use in a digital library.

The pressure from Google’s digital library project and Amazon’s electronic books is forcing publishers to consider drastic price cuts. Unilateral pricing Amazon and other e-book retailers such as Barnes & Noble could destroy profits and kill the lucrative trade in hardback editions. Google plans to put millions of out-of-copyright books online for free public use in a digital library. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0df31226-958d-11de-90e0-00144feabdc0.html Pete Nikolai pnikolai463 4 3 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:2860162260045178292-c794014efa5efe544d9e67c7d2d8c67a 2009-09-03T08:40:42.438-04:00

Booksellers should use technology to create and nurture community. A major source of business is the offline community that an independent bookseller nurtures and grows. Technology enables independent booksellers to do this on a larger level online...

Booksellers should use technology to create and nurture community. A major source of business is the offline community that an independent bookseller nurtures and grows. Technology enables independent booksellers to do this on a larger level online... http://bookavore.com/2009/09/02/namatechnologyplus/ Pete Nikolai pnikolai463 1 0 0 1 urn:com:businessweek:bx:article:3258247550326248851-3dd470ca5ec94bbae6ec4f3b59e0b609 2009-08-28T16:28:58.462-04:00

The corporate consolidation of publishing bodes well for the future of a publishing industry that operates on a scale more appropriate to the medium we're all creating and selling. Publishing is a sustainable industry—and a great one at that. The book business, however, was never a good fit for today's corporate behemoths. The corporations service their shareholders by servicing debt more rapidly than they accrue it. In order to continue leveraging debt, they need to demonstrate growth. The problem is that media, especially books, can't offer enough organic growth—people can only read so many books from so many authors...

The corporate consolidation of publishing bodes well for the future of a publishing industry that operates on a scale more appropriate to the medium we're all creating and selling. Publishing is a sustainable industry—and a great one at that. The book business, however, was never a good fit for today's corporate behemoths. The corporations service their shareholders by servicing debt more rapidly than they accrue it. In order to continue leveraging debt, they need to demonstrate growth. The problem is that media, especially books, can't offer enough organic growth—people can only read so many books from so many authors... http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6685324.html?q=scaling+down Pete Nikolai pnikolai463 1 0 0 1