Mass Media Chapter 2 Books: The First and Most Respected Mass Medium

Publishing Process Types (46) Styles/reputations – A few known for craftsmanship, most for profit- orientation, even “instant” books Content area – General topic (science, fiction, arts, etc) Market Share – “Trade books account for the largest share of books sold by publishers, making up nearly half of publishers’ total sales – and that share is rising” (46) – Fig. 2.2 (47) Manuscript to book (47-8) Start -- – Trade Books Literary agents – ferret out book ideas, identify authors, contact publishing house/editors, negotiate a contract between publisher/author, 15% of author’s share Author, agent or editor starts idea, author gets an advance – Textbooks Publisher seeks out author, no advance for author, but new editions may make more money Editing – Acquisitions – generate ideas, find able/willing authors – Developmental – work with author to organize book – Copy – check for spelling, syntax, grammar of “proofs” (preliminary printed versions of pages) Printing – Compositors – set manuscript into type – Printers and binders – Sales representatives to persuade booksellers to carry books, school boards to adopt, or college faculty to assign Also marketing of direct mail, telephone, web, professional meeting displays, book clubs, magazine ads, pre-orders, author appearances (49) Really more of an orchestrative/managerial job (impresario) than anything else Publisher-Entrepreneur (48-49) Most in NYC 2% of publishers account for 75% of sales Can still start small – no federal licensing, can go global Many books (perhaps most), never turn a profit! Authors gamble on writing book (opportunity cost of time/money from another job, etc) Publishers also gamble on book (opportunity cost of not printing other books) – Earnings of a seller can make up for those books that don’t turn a profit

The Future: Digital Recent changes From corner bookstores to BN, Borders, etc – not likely to go back Online purchasing – BN.com, Borders.com, Amazon.com – Delivered to your house by mail, usually within 3- 7 business days Electronic publishing and reading Printed on-demand – Not extremely popular, that I know of Direct download from the internet – book is 9 years old – Ex: Amazon.com, BN.com, school library -- Overdrive Overdrive – Old criticism “neglects the browser” – now sites keep track and recommend – To laptop, desktop or reader Readers – Kindle, Nook, iPad, etc. – Comparison Comparison From $139 up, eInk more easily read, prices for books usually slightly lower ($9.99 for new hardcover releases), no required access to the internet, no “double download”, light E-Lending Libraries (our library does this – see Ms. Arentsen – FOURTH transition of books (on our way, but not there yet) – Will this transition be like the music transition (from CDs to digital storing/downloading? Similar effects?