The Federal Government has extended a lifeline to the ailing book publishing industry, establishing of a Book Industry Strategy Group to meet the challenges of the up and coming e-book market.
Innovation Minister, Senator Kim Carr, announced the strategy at the Digital Revolution: Publishing in the 21st Century symposium in Melbourne.
The group will bring together representatives from across the publishing industry to map out a way forward and develop strategies to address issues of supply chain integration and establish a viable business model for the digital age.
“The written word may be almost as old as human civilisation itself but this doesn’t mean we can ignore the very real and very rapid advances being made in digital publishing technologies,” Carr said in a statement.
“I am giving this strategy group a very clear mandate — I don’t just want a report, I want a way forward.
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“I want to see book printers, publishers, distributors and retailers together in one room collaborating with each other and taking responsibility for transforming their industry in a way that ensures its future sustainability.”
The group will make use of the $50 million (funded annually) Government Enterprise Connect initiative and is expected to report back within 12 months.