Milwaukee radio station 620am WTMJ broadcast a segment regarding ebooks last week. I finally got around to blogging about it today. The segment was titled: Will printed books remain relevant in the future? Book/library aficionado/blogger Paul Everett Nelson joins WAN at 4:34pm.
While the discussion was simple and well targeted to their audience there is certainly more to this story. I understand the limited time allocated to radio segments — its Milwaukee’s WTMJ – not NPR.
My own experience and love of reading drew me to think deeper about the discussion of the publishing industry and their new demand to charge libraries unbeliveable fees.Some believe the publishing industry has been decimated in the internet age like the music industry. Not sure that I completely agree with this statement. A well run publishing business should be able to make significantly more profit from selling ebooks. But in order to be successful the publishing industry must cannibalize itself.
One of the points of discussion is a rather draconian sales policy ebook publishers have demanded. They are changing their Terms by actually charging libraries to repurchase (at full price no less) any ebook checked out more than 25 times. Yes you read that correctly – publishers plan to force every library that checks out an ebook 25 times to re-purchase the ebook at full price.
When exactly did those same publishers force those same libraries to purchase additional hardback copies of their books at full price after they were checked out 25 times? Never, since the idea is just asinine.
Imaging a cable company requiring you to purchase a new cable package after watching 25 TV shows. Yep – now you know how stupid — or simply greed — is driving this decision.
Ever see a stack of 500 books on a shipping pallet? Consider all the costs for print, assembly and shipping. Add costs to distribute those books to bookstores and big box resellers….that is an expensive and time consuming process. Oh yea…want it fast? — then pay extra for overnight shipping. Remember those books are only available during business hours.
Riddle me this: How does Nielsen, Billboard or any other entertainment resource accurately reflect the impact of torrents on sales? Ah….they can’t. The fact that Nielsen/Billboard still lists “traditional chart history” tells me another analog business is choking to death on the globalized internet.