Signs are that books have somehow dodged the same slings and arrows that grievously wounded other physical media
Interview with Media Business Reporter Bob Woods
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In a world where digital media dominate, physical books have managed to survive – and in certain markets and niches, even thrive. This feat of endurance is no short-term trick either. According to PwC’s Global Entertainment & Media Outlook for 2018-2022, print book sales will continue to grow even as home video, recorded music and video games advance into oblivion.
The PwC Media Outlook estimates that book sales will climb in the next four years at one percent annually, totaling $50 billion by the end of 2022. Clearly, publishers can’t let their gaze stray long from the financials. Yet signs are that books have somehow dodged the same slings and arrows that grievously wounded other physical media.
In a recent online report for Strategy + Business, media business reporter Bob Woods explored the possible reasons for print’s Houdini-like escape from the diving bell of digital doom.
“The oldest form of physical media is actually holding up quite well,” he notes. “What gives? Several factors are at play.” Among the obvious one are love of print and screen fatigue. “There’s another factor that continues to support the sale of physical books – the stubborn survival of booksellers, especially the independents that have endured a series of onslaughts,” Woods says.
