This week I watched an interesting video stream from Hot Dog Media where we discussed, amongst other things publishing content. Along the course of the debate we touched on whether making content available online means it should free and that artists/authors/developers should look to monetise their creations through additional services.
I argued that we shouldn’t assume that because something is online it is free however I do believe the way content is published should change.
For the music industry, I still find it amazing that the record companies continue to rip off fans with albums costing £15 plus. Their decision not to embrace the digital movement is leading to their own downfall as consumers look for more convenient and cost-effective means of getting their music such as Last.fm, Napster and of course illegal downloads. I have no doubt in my mind that the level of music piracy would plummet if labels offered consumers a fairer price for their purchase.
But, this issue isn’t confined to the music industry. We hear little from the publishing industry on the impact that e-books are having on hard-copy sales. Probably because e-books haven’t hit the mainstream in the same way MP3s have. However, with more cost effective readers coming on the market and mobile phones such as the iPhone offering e-book support, it is only a matter of time before this form of content overtakes the traditional hardback.
Authors and publishers are beginning to react to the growing e-book trend and finding new and innovative ways of distributing their work. A good friend of mine, Stephen Morris, wrote his second book last year and instead of popping it on the shelves of Borders he decided to distribute it online in five parts. The book was free until the final section where consumers were asked to donate £3 to homeless charity, Shelter. The book made thousands for the charity and provided some fantastic publicity for a young, new author.
Likewise another author-friend of mine left 20 copies of his new book on various London Underground trains in the hope people would pick them up, read them and pass them on. They did and he received hundreds of emails from grateful bookworms willing to buy the book.
Authors and the publishing industry are benefitting from the generational gap of readers. e-books are lagging behind MP3s but over the next five years I suspect we’ll see a sharp increase in e-book downloads and with it will come the inevitable financial and copyright challenges currently facing the music industry. Publishers have plenty of time to address the issue and plan a viable business solution that will allow the industry to thrive under sales of e-books but they can’t afford to wait for consumers to start exploring cheaper means of getting their reading material.
As I mentioned during the Hot Dog Media webcast, online content doesn’t have to be free but not adapting to an online audience will see creators and publishers lose out.
