A Note on Future Trends in the Publishing Industry

Abstract:

The emergence of the digital and online media has brought about a significant change in the core business model of the publishing industry. The change in technology and consumer behavior has given rise to new opportunities and challenges for traditional publishers. Digital media has targeted the publishing industry's core sources of revenue related to consumer spending and advertising dollars. The rapid expansion of digital media has driven publishers to reduce costs and streamline their operations. Also, the pressure on publishers has increased as a growing number of consumers prefer access to online content.

Consumers seek content that can be accessed through a wide range of devices such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, and Pocket PCs.

In an industry that was long under the influence of the print medium, publishers are now finding innovative ways to deliver content to users. Some of the emerging trends in the publishing industry include electronic books (e-Books), podcasts, blogs, mobile publishing, and self-publishing. Some publishers have also started focusing on new opportunities such as user-generated content and online communities. Though the revenues generated from these new avenues are still small when compared to the print medium, publishers are keen to establish their presence in these emerging markets.

But, the digital environment has radically changed the way information is created, modified and distributed. The alteration of digital works can threaten the rights of the original authors. Hence the issue of copyright protection has become an important one in a rapidly changing digital environment. Publishers are also looking for ways to reestablish their control of copyright and intellectual property.

Keywords:

Publishing Industry, e-Book hardware reader, Software, International Digital Publishing Forum, e-textbooks, Digital Rights Management, Copyright Management, Podcasting, Google Inc, MySpace, FaceBook, Blogs, Self-Publishing, RSS Feed, User generated content, Mobile Publishing, iTunes

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