PUBLISH electronically or be damned, visitors to the Frankfurt Book Fair were told last week. A major study unveiled at the fair found that electronic publishing currently represented 1 to 3 per cent of the total publishing market, but hesitation in entering this new field was "economically dangerous".
The report, by Andersen Consulting and the European Commission, predicted that electronic publishing's market share would rise to between five and IS per cent by 2002, and be worth 8.8-12.4 billion ECUs (about £7-10 billion). It also said one million new multi media related jobs would be created in the IS EU member states within the next 10 years.
The study showed a high level of agreement that consumers would not pay for "basic content such as general news, local newsgroups, or - classified services. The majority of services for the mass market will therefore need to be advertising financed."
Electronic media were competing with other media for users' time as well as their money. Surveys have shown that online users clearly cut back on their TV time due to the improved functionalities of new media."
The study also highlighted the increased blurring of boundaries between "independent" content providers and advertisers, and said advertisers would increasingly bypass publishers by building direct links to customers.
Among its recommendations was that "national governments should create a favourable framework for electronic publishing by means of adequate regulation. They should stimulate infrastructure availability and initiate concent."
In a separate development, Euro Commissioner Edith Cresson said last Wednesday that the EU should act urgently to adapt its schools to the Internet era - or risk US domination of educational materials.
"European schools lag far behind compared with what is going on elsewhere," she told a news conference in Brussels.
Fewer than 5 per cent of European schools are hooked up to computer networks. The plan should promote an EUwide web of electronic educational networks.
The plan, which will go to EU ministers for approval, should stimulate development of multimedia teaching products, promote teacher training and sponsor publicity campaigns.
