Ten years ago, when the “Big Bang” of online media gave birth to rudimentary e-readers, devices like the Rocket promised the moon but didn’t quite deliver. Today, the e-readers have proliferated in a kind of arms race underwritten by Sony, Amazon, Apple and even media giants like Hearst. There are nooks and Kindles, Plastic Logic QUEs, and Skiffs, and of course, the iPad, introduced just weeks ago to a breathless world by Steve Jobs.
The devices themselves, though, aren’t much use without the digital books they are meant to display. The real fight still lies ahead, and will be not over customers, but over content.
Recorded live with a national online audience and caller participation, this special report covers breaking news from the front lines and battlefields of the e-book wars. Chris Kenneally interviewed the leading journalists and analysts who are covering this first break-out story of the year in publishing, including
- Andrew Albanese, features editor at Publishers Weekly
- Sara Nelson, Books Editor, “O” Magazine
- Brian O’Leary, Founder & Principal, Magellan Media Partners
- Mike Shatzkin, Founder & CEO, The Idea Logical Company, Inc.,
This special program was made possible in part by OnCopyright2010: The Collision of Ideas. Coming March 10 to the Union League Club in New York City with special guests William Patry from Google; Gabby Darbyshire of Gawker Media; and many more. Registration information at oncopyright2010.com.