Digital Publishing Acrobatics

By Jason Boog 

Publishers shouldn’t struggle into the e-book future alone. They can learn from the journalists, software developers, and other media workers who are building the online architecture for a digital world.

Last month at the Mediabistro Circus, PCMag.com executive editor Dan Costa grilled three digital experts about the future of print: Blurb.com CEO Eileen Gittins, Six Apart’s Anil Dash, and New York Times‘ Rob Samuels. Discussion ranged from open source publishing to the future of books to the distribution of content.

That video offers a sample of the longer conversation. The complete Mediabistro On Demand video answers these questions: “What does it mean when books are no longer printed, but are distributed as software, and magazines kill print editions in favor of online-only content? Journalists are considered brands, and consumers can get content any way they want it — via eReader, iPhone app, or print on demand. What can writers and editors, marketing execs, and anyone associated with publishing do to stay relevant, and where is it all headed?”