It was probably inevitable, but on Tuesday, it became official: the Encyclopaedia Britannica is finally going out of print. The news was confirmed yesterday by Jorge Cauz, president of Chicago-based Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc., who told the New York Times that his company has decided to completely abandon print operations, in favor of its online platform. The announcement marks the end of a remarkable 244-year run for Britannica and its leather-bound tomes, which at one point stood as a hallmark of middle class living rooms and libraries. In fact, it's been barely two decades since the company reached its high water mark, when it sold some 120,000 sets back in 1990. Once the internet came into full bloom, however, Britannica's sales soon plummeted. In 2010, the publisher sold just 8,000 sets, leaving an additional 4,000 unsold copies to gather dust in a warehouse.Tuesday's announcement may mark the end of an era, but Cauz seems to have come to terms with Britannica's decision, calling it a "rite of passage." He's also eager to devote more time to his company's website, which will look to chip away at Wikipedia's market hegemony. Cauz, however, believes the two platforms can (and must) co-exist, because they fill two different roles. "We cannot deal with every single cartoon character, we cannot deal with every love life of every celebrity," he explained. "But we need to have an alternative where facts really matter. Britannica won't be able to be as large, but it will... Continue reading at 'Engadget'
[ Engadget | 2012-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Fri, 09/09/2011 - 08:30 Independent children's publisher Catnip is using Twitter and bloggers to source original and out-of-print titles for its list. It will publish Katherine Roberts' out-of-print fantasy Song Quest in February 2012. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publication Date: Tue, 30/08/2011 - 08:40 Puffin is to release an initial print run of half a million copies of the new Wimpy Kid title, Cabin Fever, published on 16th November. The print run is the largest in the history of the children's publisher, and will be Penguin's largest initial UK... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bonniers MotorBoating magazine, a part of the Marine Group Network that includes Yachting and SaltWater Sportsman, is folding its print issue. The July/August 2011 installment will be its last. Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2011-08-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Thu, 11/08/2011 - 09:20 Canadian retailer Indigo Books & Music has reported 170% acceleration in digital sales growth, but blamed a drop in overall revenue for its first quarter on declining physical book sales. Indigo attributed the hike in its... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In 1985, Nintendo released Super Mario Brothers, Commodore launched the Amiga personal computer, Steve Jobs founded NeXT, and Bill Gates issued the first version of Windows. It was also the year PW launched the first report covering the Asian printing industry, of which you are now holding the... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-08-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After posting its first profit in decades in 2010, The Atlantic says it continues to see gains in 2011, with digital advertising up 42 percent and print advertising revenue up 9 percent in the second quarter, compared to the same period last year. Digital advertising is also up 23 percent for... Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2011-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Meredith Corp.--publisher of titles such as Better Homes & Gardens and Ladies Home Journal--has introduced The Meredith Engagement Dividend, a product that offers advertisers guaranteed sales for their investment in Meredith magazines. Participation requires a 12-month advertising commitment... Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2011-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Charlotte Williams and Philip Stone Publication Date: Fri, 08/07/2011 - 09:55 Print sales across the book market have dropped by 3% in the first six months of 2011, compared to the same period last year, with Jamie Oliver the bestselling author over the period, ahead of Julia... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Unit sales of print books sold through outlets measured by Nielsen BookScan fell 10.2%, to 307.1 million, in the first six months of 2011 ended July 3. The decline comes as no surprise as ebook sales continued to eat into sales of physical books, and the weak economy limited consumer purchases... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Men more likely to own tablets, women more likely to own e-readers according to GfK MRI. Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2011-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The publisher Algonquin is offering digital books at a discount or free to customers who buy certain trade paperback or hardback books. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2011-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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When you read the literature of journalism these days you might think that you must hurry to carve out your place in the digital world. That may be so for newspapers, but it is not so for magazines, particularly not for regional magazines. Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2011-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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For decades, the "first printing" has been a number publishers have slapped on the covers of their advance reading copies, put in bold on the pages of their catalogues, and touted to reporters. The number, though known to be inflated, offered a palatable way for publishers to announce their... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Thu, 26/05/2011 - 08:57 Bloomsbury will bring 500 out of print titles by the likes of Alan Clark, Edith Sitwell and Bernice Rubens back into the market as digital editions this autumn with the launch of a new imprint. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon.com said that it sold 105 ebooks for every 100 printed books, a milestone that its chief executive, Jeff Bezos, said had occurred sooner than expected. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2011-05-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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It happened. Amazon says ebook sales have surpassed physical book sales on Amazon.com. Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2011-05-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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While the Rapture isnt scheduled to occur until Saturday, according to members of certain religious fringe groups, it looks like doomsday has come early for publishers of print books. Amazon announced Thursday that sales of ebooks on the site have finally surpassed combined sales of hardcovers... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2011-05-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Philip Jones Publication Date: Wed, 18/05/2011 - 15:57 Traditional US print book output in 2010 increased 5% in 2010, despite the huge growth in ebooks, though there was a continuing fall in the number of fiction titles published. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Time Inc, the owner of magazine publisher IPC, has agreed a deal with Apple that lets subscribers to its print magazines access their iPad editions for free, according to reports. Continue reading at Media Week
[ Media Week | 2011-05-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The two reports measure different aspects of the book market and one is far more comprehensive than the other, but figures released last week by Nielsen BookScan and the Association of American Publishers showed a trade market where ebooks are thriving and print books are struggling. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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