I have been asked to speak at the business breakfast here in Bristol. Apparently I may know something about publishing, trends in the industry and what the impact is on Christian publishing/media.

Apparently...

I've spent the past days thinking about it and what's happening.

Here's a summary...



In recent years there has been much consolidation in the publishing and bookstore industries.

Once there were approx. 200 publishers in London. now there is about 30.

Once, independent bookstores were the norm, now they are a rarity.

Consolidation has become the norm. In the US 80% of all book sales come from only 5 publishing houses.

Books have never been more easily available. And many are sold at discounted rates.

Great news?

Or is it?

All of this has come at a price.

Once upon a time publishing was not seen as a career in which to make a fortune.

Like being a doctor, a teacher or academic, you did not become a publisher if you wanted to make a lot of money.

But now publishing houses form part of larger media corporations. Profit has become all important. The bottom line is what counts.

Books must make money, not even breaking even will do. A book must make money.

But what about the books that may not sell loads, may even lose money, but should get an airing? Should they be published because the ideas within them are so important?

What about the future Joyce's, Tolkeins, Chestertons etc.

If your first book loses money, will you get another chance?

Market theory has now been applied to the disemination of culture? Is this right?

Is the market truly the best way of deciding what gets published? Deciding what is worth marketing, deciding which authors should have their ideas aired?

Maybe it is, the market is an ideal type of democracy, the books people want to read get sold and published. it is not up to an elite to impose their ideas upon the rest of us.

So the argument goes.

We the public choose what we want to read, it is not up to anyone else to challenge us as to whether or not it is downmarket or limited in scope.

Profits, they prove this is the case, and prove that this theory works.

But does it?

Are we not poorer for it?

And Christians, do we collude with this?

Prayer of Jabez, stack em high and sell em cheap.

How many Christian titles have the name of the famous foreword writer as large as the author - why - sells books.

The next Yancey, lets maximise how much we can get from this book. No matter if it stinks!

Our marketing, how much like the world's does it look like?

Are we in danger of creating a Christian sub culture that merely apes, and badly at that, all that the nonChristian culture is doing?

And do we dress it all up as ministry, so I must shop in that store because it is a ministry, or buy that book because it is a ministry.

What lies behind all of this...

I think it has something to do with what Ken Costa and Grahma Tomlin touch on in recent books(!!!).

Consumerism and the drive in the west to acquire, wealth, status and positon.

We live in a society that revolves around money, and the use and abuseof money. So we then use our businesses etc in order to maximise the maount of money we can get.

Our practices and behaviour in business etc can so foten look like everyone elses.

Ken makes the challenge that it should not. If you follow Jesus then everything about your life is to be different.

We have an opportunity as Christians to shine God's light into wherever we are, and into whatever it is we do.

I started thinking about publishing the industry and world I know and love, but came to realise that what I see happening there is systematic of what is happening in society.

We are bankrupt. Morally, ethically and spiritually.

Those of us who are rich, should flaunt our wealth!!



Come, all you who are thirsty,
       come to the waters;
       and you who have no money,
       come, buy and eat!
       Come, buy wine and milk
       without money and without cost.
 2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
       and your labor on what does not satisfy?
       Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
       and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

Rant over!