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Digital Book World Survey Conducted by Independent Research Firm Reveals Publishing Executives Less Optimistic About Digital Future


New York, NY (January 12, 2012) – As more publishing revenue transitions to digital, publishers are less optimistic about the state of the book publishing industry in general and much less optimistic about their own company’s chances at survival and growth, according to a Digital Book World survey conducted by Forrester Research, Inc. The full results of the survey will be released at the Digital Book World Conference + Expo in New York on January 24.

The survey was conducted among publishing executives at major publishing companies across the U.S. that represent 74% of all U.S. publishing revenues. According to the survey, now in its second year, 82% of book publishing executives are “optimistic” about the digital transition, down from 89% a year ago.

Similarly, fewer publishers believe that as a result of digital advances:
  • Readers will be better off, 61% in 2011, down from 74% in 2010
  • More people will read books than did before, 60% in 2011, down from 66% in 2010
  • Readers will read a greater number of books than before, 47% in 2011, down from 66% in 2010
When asked about their own companies, the pessimism became more pronounced: Only 28% of publishing executives think their company will be better off because of the transition to digital, down from 51% a year ago.

“People are generally optimistic still, but that optimism is waning,” said James L. McQuivey, Ph.D., Vice President and Principal Analyst at Forrester, who conducted the survey. “Publishers have started to do the hard work of making the digital transition and they’re finding that it is, indeed, hard work.”

"We are entering another new age of publishing, one ripe with opportunity limited only by tradition or fear," said David Nussbaum, F+W Media Chairman & CEO. "Digital Book World is about embracing innovation by bringing together the leaders of our industry to set the strategies for our shared future. I, for one, am excited and optimistic of the future of our industry."

McQuivey will present the full results of the survey, at Digital Book World, including information on:
  • Publishers’ views on tablets and e-readers
  • Publisher staffing
  • Digital strategy
  • Digital sales growth
  • E-books, enhanced e-books and apps
  • Consumer marketing and customer data
  • Social media
  • Pricing strategy
“This survey is groundbreaking for its breadth and its access to the thoughts of publishing’s leaders,” said Matt Mullin, Digital Book World community relations manager who helped craft the survey. “This survey, along with data from Bowker, Verso, Kearney, and the Book Industry Survey Group, ensures that Digital Book World Conference will have more exclusive data on publishing than ever before.”

The Digital Book World Conference was founded on a single mission to bring together the brightest and boldest in the industry to educate publishers on how to capitalize on the new opportunities today’s technology offers. The 2012 program reflects up-to-the-minute industry trends, while giving a firm foundation of business principles and actionable practices to help publishers and content providers navigate in and profit from today’s publishing world.

For more information on Digital Book World or to register for the conference, please go to: https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/24240/36957/

About Digital Book World
Digital Book World, owned and operated by F+W Media, Inc. is the only conference that offers trade publishers hard data on the state of the book business as well as actionable, proven strategies for taking immediate advantage of opportunities as they develop in today’s publishing industry. www.digitalbookworld.com www.fwmedia.com 

For more information about the survey, please contact the Digital Book World press office.

Media contact:
Stacie Berger
Communications Director
F+W Media, Inc.
513-531-2690