Perhaps the e-book revolution is already happening and we just haven’t noticed it—because it’s an e-magazine revolution. Stats on the Magazine Publishers of Australia site show what the average Australian really is reading these days.
“Australians are among the world’s most avid magazine buyers,” the MPA says. “In 2005, copy sales of ABC audited magazines totaled more than 226 million, that’s an average of 13.6 magazines purchased for every person over 14 years.” Not surprisingly most of these are sports/celebrity gossip/home decorating.
Instant Hollywood scandals
Now we have “cable” TV being broadcast directly to our mobile phones with programs of, yes, sports, fashion and news. Perhaps a big dip is about to appear in those print magazine sales? Why wait a week to read about the latest Hollywood scandal when it can be watched live on your phone?
Now back to the serious readers. Popular scientific magazines like New Scientist already have extensive on-line written content, but you still need a computer to read it. Mobile phones aren’t quite big enough for serious reading (but see Apple’s IPhone). Once magazine publishers see the possibilities of a handheld device capable of downloading both readable and viewable content via subscription or pay-per-issue then perhaps much needed R & D money will start to flow. E-books may just be an extra add-on product for the media barons, a good selling point.
Book vs. magazine sales
It will be interesting to see whether the e-magazine gets E-book reader technology off the ground. Selling a few thousand books per year may not light any fires under publishing industry magnates, but selling 226 million magazines just in Australia? That would get my interest!
Moderator’s note: Photo is from MPA site. Speaking of Australia, TeleBlog from there and elsewhere might want to check out a fascinating radio transcript on the fate of fiction there. I wonder how e-books will change the equation. Also see the Australian ABC network’s archives for Books and Writing, including a segment on Norman Mailer. – DR
It’s interesting to see how australian are among the world’s most avid magazine buyers. What about others?