Publishers Less Optimistic About Digital Books This Year

By Dianna Dilworth 

In the past publishers have been excited about the potential of eReader adoption to increase readership and the amount of books read. But their enthusiasm is beginning to wane.

According to a new report from Forrester Research and Digital Book World, publishers aren’t as enthusiastic about the potential of eReading this year as they were last year.

eBookNewser has more: “The report interviewed publishers who represent 74% of all U.S. publishing revenues. When asked if readers will be better off, only 61% of respondents said that they will be, down from 74% in the 2010 study. When asked if ‘more people will read books than did before,’ in 2011, only 60% thought so, down from 66% in 2010. And when asked if readers would read more books than before only 47% of respondents agreed, down from 66% in 2010.”

The full report is going to be presented by Forrester analyst James McQuivey at the Digital Book World Conference later this month.