1. An obituary for the
(traditional and
independent)
publishing industry?
Sander Spek
MICC Promovendi Day 2008

2. A centuries-old practice
Photo by Essolo (CC-BY-SA)

3. “Ha, ha, your medium is dying”

4. What is changing?
Two case studies.
Wikipedia
Embedded publishing

5. Firstly,
What is
different?

6. Secondly,
What are the
consequences?

7. Wikipedia
That convenient
website some some
information on
about anything

8. Wikipedia
Written by amateurs.
Knowledge optional,
credentials discouraged.
Yet, it challenges a tradition of
well-respected (and well-
paid) Brittanica editors.

9. Boohoohoo!
Boohoohoo!
Andrew Keen, The Cult of the Amateur (2007)

10. toothpastefordinner.com

11. Wikipedia’s track record
English (Oct 2006)
> 1.4 Million articles
> 800.000 new articles a day
Dutch
> 500.000 articles (last week)
Studies by a.o. c’t Magazine and Nature

12. “Minister Plasterk van Onderwijs wil
nog deze kabinetsperiode digitale
schoolboeken invoeren. Onder de
naam quot;Wikiwijsquot; introduceert hij een
Wikipedia-achtig project, waarmee
leraren op internet hun eigen
lesmateriaal ontwikkelen.” (NOS)

13. Embedded publishers?
Organisations and professionals who
publish on a frequent basis and a
significant scale...

14. Embedded publishers?
Organisations and professionals who
publish on a frequent basis and a
significant scale...
...but who don't do so for the publishing
itself. It is merely to support other, core
goals.

15. Business goals

16. Political goals

17. Safety

18. Science

19. Or higher goals

20. Publishing has become
cheaper and more accessible.

21. Motives

22. Motives
First of all:
Because now they can.

23. Motives
Secondly:
Dissatisfied with
existing media.

24. Unhappy customers
Unfair business model
(FirstMonday)
Coverage of our organisation
(PSV)
Coverage in general
(Tiberghien)

25. Also satisfied customers
Extra communication channel
(UNIZO)
Media-bait
(Van Rompuy)

26. Characteristics
Control-
driven

27. Characteristics
Stake-
driven

28. Characteristics
Instrumental

29. Characteristics
Freedom
of format

30. Characteristics
Refuge
for talent

31. Characteristics
Incremental
growth

32. Impact

33. Impact
Blending
categories

34. Impact
Information
overload

35. Impact
Wide audience
adoption

36. Impact
New
consumption
logic

37. Future
Unclear. Strong drivers,
good outlooks, but it's still early.
Still, news media should respond.

38. Reaction patterns
1. Counter
2. Allow-In
3. Collaborate
4. Facilitate
5. Service

39. Conclusions
New publishing formats
Old ones are struggling
Some might not survive

41. Maybe not yet.