ASIDIC Spring ASIDIC Spring 2007 Keynote2007 Keynote

Joe WikertJoe Wikert

Vice President & Executive Vice President & Executive PublisherPublisher

John Wiley & Sons, IncJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc

Publishing 2020 BlogPublishing 2020 Blog

The Quest(ion)The Quest(ion)

““How are major publishers How are major publishers and aggregators moving from and aggregators moving from

being licensors to solution being licensors to solution providers spanning media providers spanning media and enterprise markets?”and enterprise markets?”

My Point of ViewMy Point of View

A technology guy who finds himself A technology guy who finds himself in publishingin publishing

Involved in all aspects of book Involved in all aspects of book publishing for 20+ yearspublishing for 20+ years

Mergers and acquisitionsMergers and acquisitions A frustrated agent of change…A frustrated agent of change…

Publishing 2020 BlogPublishing 2020 Blog jwikert.typepad.comjwikert.typepad.com

Why Do I Blog?Why Do I Blog?

DISCLAIMER!DISCLAIMER!

3 Popular Publishing 3 Popular Publishing MythsMyths

1.1. Print is deadPrint is dead

2.2. The copyright model is obsoleteThe copyright model is obsolete

3.3. ““Publishers” will have less Publishers” will have less relevance and value in the relevance and value in the futurefuture

The Role of CommunityThe Role of Community

Note that all types of content Note that all types of content publishing could be done by “the publishing could be done by “the community” and not a traditional, community” and not a traditional, for-profit publisherfor-profit publisher Exhibit A: WikipediaExhibit A: Wikipedia Reality: The future holds a mix of bothReality: The future holds a mix of both Exhibit B: The software worldExhibit B: The software world Authors must weigh pros and cons of Authors must weigh pros and cons of

both modelsboth models

Critical Publisher Critical Publisher QuestionsQuestions

In order to succeed in the future, In order to succeed in the future, publishers need to develop answers publishers need to develop answers to these three questions:to these three questions:

1.1. What’s your “Google solution”?What’s your “Google solution”?

2.2. How are you evolving beyond How are you evolving beyond yesterday’s simple bookstore yesterday’s simple bookstore transaction, for example?transaction, for example?

3.3. And perhaps most importantly, how are And perhaps most importantly, how are you fostering development of and you fostering development of and contributing to the overall community contributing to the overall community ecosystem?ecosystem?

An Example to Contrast An Example to Contrast Yesterday vs. Tomorrow’s Yesterday vs. Tomorrow’s

Possibilities…Possibilities…

Yesterday’s Box ScoreYesterday’s Box Score

Today’s Dynamic Box Today’s Dynamic Box ScoreScore

How Does This Relate to How Does This Relate to Publishing?!Publishing?!

Content LayeringContent Layering Obviously a perfect fit for reference Obviously a perfect fit for reference

materialmaterial Offers a great approach to tutorial Offers a great approach to tutorial

approach tooapproach too Requires a totally new way to look at Requires a totally new way to look at

how content is written, edited and how content is written, edited and tagged/indexedtagged/indexed

The Six Rules for Becoming The Six Rules for Becoming a Solution Providera Solution Provider

Rule #1Rule #1 Publishers need to overhaul their Publishers need to overhaul their

content acquisition and content acquisition and development processes.development processes.Nothing should be considered Nothing should be considered

sacredsacredLook to the finished product, not Look to the finished product, not

the steps in betweenthe steps in betweenComponents, components, Components, components,

componentscomponentsFight “The Innovator’s Dilemma”Fight “The Innovator’s Dilemma”

Rule #2Rule #2

Publishers need to focus on Publishers need to focus on their existing brands and their existing brands and building/acquiring new building/acquiring new brands for the future.brands for the future.Real brands that truly resonate Real brands that truly resonate

with customers transcend with customers transcend presentation platforms.presentation platforms.

Rule #3Rule #3

Publishers need to extend and Publishers need to extend and embrace the community!embrace the community! It’s not going away, so don’t try It’s not going away, so don’t try

to run from community-based to run from community-based alternativesalternatives

Keep an eye on Pearson’s “We Keep an eye on Pearson’s “We Are Smarter Than Me” initiativeAre Smarter Than Me” initiativewww.wearesmarterthanme.orgwww.wearesmarterthanme.org

““We Are Smarter Than We Are Smarter Than Me”Me”

Sponsored by:

Rule #4Rule #4

Publishers need to focus on Publishers need to focus on attracting only those authors attracting only those authors with strong audience platforms.with strong audience platforms. But why does an author with a But why does an author with a

large audience platform even need large audience platform even need a publisher?!a publisher?!

Publishers need to serve as an Publishers need to serve as an aggregator to build a “federation aggregator to build a “federation of networks” with their authorsof networks” with their authors

Rule #5Rule #5 Publishers need to show their Publishers need to show their

commitment to offering content commitment to offering content on all presentation platforms.on all presentation platforms. Print, online subscription, online Print, online subscription, online

piecemeal, RSS, etc.piecemeal, RSS, etc. Direct to consumer/enterprise Direct to consumer/enterprise

customer and via aggregatorscustomer and via aggregators Rule 5.a: Publishers must also Rule 5.a: Publishers must also

enable and encourage content enable and encourage content mashupsmashups

Rule #6Rule #6

Publishers need to become more Publishers need to become more comfortable and aggressive in comfortable and aggressive in introducing and leveraging introducing and leveraging advertising into the revenue advertising into the revenue model.model.Publisher’s inflated value of Publisher’s inflated value of

contentcontentCreating yet another revenue Creating yet another revenue

share opportunity with authorsshare opportunity with authors

Tying It All TogetherTying It All Together

In summary, it’s all about:In summary, it’s all about: Rule #1: The freedom and wisdom to Rule #1: The freedom and wisdom to

change the modelchange the model Rule #2: Focus relentlessly on brandsRule #2: Focus relentlessly on brands Rule #3: Embrace the communityRule #3: Embrace the community Rule #4: Seek authors with huge Rule #4: Seek authors with huge

audience platformsaudience platforms Rule #5: Be committed to all viable Rule #5: Be committed to all viable

presentation platformspresentation platforms Rule #6: Leverage advertisingRule #6: Leverage advertising

Valuable ResourcesValuable Resources

BlogsBlogs ContentBloggerContentBlogger MediaShiftMediaShift O’Reilly RadarO’Reilly Radar PaidContentPaidContent Publishing 2.0Publishing 2.0 Read/WriteWebRead/WriteWeb

BooksBooks The Innovator’s The Innovator’s

DilemmaDilemma, by , by Clayton ChristensenClayton Christensen

Free Culture: The Free Culture: The Nature and Future Nature and Future of Creativityof Creativity, by , by Lawrence LessigLawrence Lessig

WikinomicsWikinomics, by Don , by Don Tapscott and Tapscott and Anthony D. WilliamsAnthony D. Williams

Questions?Questions?

(Be sure to take part in the (Be sure to take part in the related community related community

discussions that take place on discussions that take place on my “Publishing 2020 Blog” my “Publishing 2020 Blog”

at:at:

jwikert.typepad.com)jwikert.typepad.com)