In the second instalment of a three part interview, Professor John B. Thompson outlines what makes a good trade publisher: acquiring, developing and controlling “good, original, important content”, controlling costs and “publishing effectively for the backlist”. John also addresses the future of reading, the growth in ebook sales, and what this means for publishers.
John B. Thompson is author of the groundbreaking investigation into commercial publishing, Merchants of Culture: the business of publishing in the 21st century, and Professor of Sociology at the University of Cambridge.
Following a guest lecture last semester John spoke to Publishing lecturer and blog contributor Judith Watts about the contemporary publishing industry. You can watch the first part of John’s interview on this blog: To survive the digital revolution, publishers need a “fundamental shift of attitude”.
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