An obituary for the(traditional and independent)publishing industry?

Sander SpekMICC Promovendi Day 2008

A centuries-old practice

Photo by Essolo (CC-BY-SA)

“Ha, ha, your medium is dying”

What is changing?Two case studies.

Wikipedia

Embedded publishing

Firstly,

What is different?

Secondly,

What are theconsequences?

Wikipedia

That convenient website some some information on about anything

Wikipedia

Written by amateurs.

Knowledge optional, credentials discouraged.

Yet, it challenges a tradition of well-respected (and well-paid) Brittanica editors.

Boohoohoo!

Boohoohoo!

Andrew Keen, The Cult of the Amateur (2007)

toothpastefordinner.com

Wikipedia’s track record

English (Oct 2006)

> 1.4 Million articles

> 800.000 new articles a day

Dutch

> 500.000 articles (last week)

Studies by a.o. c’t Magazine and Nature

“Minister Plasterk van Onderwijs wil

nog deze kabinetsperiode digitale

schoolboeken invoeren. Onder de

naam "Wikiwijs" introduceert hij een

Wikipedia-achtig project, waarmee

leraren op internet hun eigen

lesmateriaal ontwikkelen.” (NOS)

Embedded publishers?

Organisations and professionals who

publish on a frequent basis and a

significant scale...

Embedded publishers?

Organisations and professionals who

publish on a frequent basis and a

significant scale...

...but who don't do so for the publishing

itself. It is merely to support other, core

goals.

Business goals

Political goals

Safety

Science

Or higher goals

Publishing has becomecheaper and more accessible.

Motives

Motives

First of all:

Because now they can.

Motives

Secondly:

Dissatisfied withexisting media.

Unhappy customers

Unfair business model

(FirstMonday)

Coverage of our organisation(PSV)

Coverage in general(Tiberghien)

Also satisfied customers

Extra communication channel(UNIZO)

Media-bait(Van Rompuy)

Characteristics

Control-driven

Characteristics

Stake-driven

Characteristics

Instrumental

Characteristics

Freedomof format

Characteristics

Refugefor talent

Characteristics

Incrementalgrowth

Impact

Impact

Blendingcategories

Impact

Informationoverload

Impact

Wide audienceadoption

Impact

Newconsumptionlogic

Future

Unclear. Strong drivers,good outlooks, but it's still early.

Still, news media should respond.

Reaction patterns

1. Counter2. Allow-In3. Collaborate4. Facilitate5. Service

Conclusions

New publishing formats

Old ones are struggling

Some might not survive

Maybe not yet.