Distribution Goes Digital
In other words, others were building business models on publishers’ content and taking charge of its use. Publishers with major investments in backlists realized that control of how content was used and presented would be slipping out of their hands. They also saw how reading circles (TheBookReportNetwork.com), blogs (PersonaNonData.blogspot.com), social networks (MySpace.com/HarperTeen) and communities of interest (BabyCenter.com) lead to buzz and to printed-book sales. Being able to push their product into as many Internet communities as possible, controlling both the terms and the finesse of its use while encouraging more widespread access than before, could be a win for everyone.
- Companies:
- Amazon.com
- Books24x7 Inc.
- codeMantra
- Consortium
- Ebrary Inc.
- HarperCollins
- Independent Publishers Group
- Ingram Digital
- Klopotek
- Libre Digital
- Lightning Source Inc.
- Lightspeed LLC
- Macmillan Publishing Solutions
- Mobipocket
- NetLibrary
- NewsStand Inc.
- Overdrive Inc.
- PMA
- Publishing Dimensions
- Random House Inc.
- The Book Industry Study Group
- Universal
- Yahoo
Eugene G. Schwartz is editor at large for ForeWord Reviews, an industry observer and an occasional columnist for Book Business magazine. In an earlier career, he was in the printing business and held production management positions at Random House, Prentice-Hall/Goodyear and CRM Books/Psychology Today. A former PMA (IBPA) board member, he has headed his own publishing consultancy, Consortium House. He is also Co-Founder of Worthy Shorts Inc., a development stage online private press and publication service for professionals as well as an online back office publication service for publishers and associations. He is on the Publishing Business Conference and Expo Advisory Board.