Future of Independent Publishing
Channel: Dogears Etc.
Date: 2012-02-04

The globalisation of publishing and its domination by a handful of conglomerates in the global North have had a ripple effect on small and medium publishers everywhere. This is true even in India. With economic liberalization, indigenous publishers are being pushed to the margins by multinational corporate publishing houses, and this impact is being felt in all sectors of book publishing including the educational market. In a related development, corporate houses are increasingly entering the wholesale and retail book trade, with chain stores that, typically, cater to mass market books or tie them up with other merchandise such as stationery, toys, audio/video CDs, DVDs, etc. This panel discussed the implications of these developments on small and medium-sized independent publishers in India.