The State of Sourcing

For an industry that has been questioning the way it has been functioning for the past decade, the publishing industry seems to be rejuvenated with the potential of the digital market. While publishers look to overcome the decline of print by developing digital market as a revenue source, it becomes even more important to have the right vision while addressing it.  Venturing into potentially unchartered waters, require the publishers to adopt a steep learning curve that means not only operating like a Net company but also creating a strong value proposition.

A significant section of publishers addressing the digital market have relied on partners. Right from producing books, adapting them to various devices or distributing them to readers, publishers have seen the merits of depending on partners. Take for example the Apple iPad. Publishers look at this piece of gadgetry with the same glee that the music industry did when the iPod was released. Some have gone to the extent of proclaiming the iPad as the backlit beacon of hope for the publishing industry. I do not think so!

Looking back at some of the events in the digital publishing world, it seems that publishers are being more reactive than proactive about how to address the digital market.  Take for example e-books. E-books have been around for a while now. However, it was publishers being reactive (in the wake of failing print revenues) that led them to address this market. The same has been the case with e-book readers, e-book distribution and recently with the Apple iPad.

The Apple concept of distributing content (books, music or otherwise) is highly restrictive – and not to mention monopolistic. Its one thing to address iPad consumers, and quite another to get into a partnership – and this is a distinction that I feel publishers are not making. After all, would Apple negotiate with a Macmillan the way Amazon did? I think not.

What happens when there are more alternatives (with wider reach) in the market to the iPad? Does a publisher’s offering need to necessarily depend on every gadget or technology that makes its way into the market?

Leveraging partnerships is good, but to depend on them to a point where businesses stop innovating is not.

Last 5 posts by Vivek

• Technology in publishing: What next? - February 23rd, 2011
• Why is the outsourcing of publishing services still taboo? - January 12th, 2011
• Device specific formats are horrible to support, and I hope they die! - November 15th, 2010
• E-book prices set to drop - October 12th, 2010
• Survey: The Current State of Digital Content - September 29th, 2010