¶ … John Martin pulled the plug on Black Sparrow Press. The fact that one more small press bit the dust wouldn't be big news, but for those who believe in the power of symbols and metaphors, Black Sparrow Press going flat-line means the end of an era in the world of publishing. Another literary device that one can attach to its passing is irony, for Black Sparrow, considered one of the leading purveyors of fine writing is now in the hands of Random House which itself long past the days when Bennett Cerf made that Random House synonymous with great literature, is now owned by the kingpin of the sensationalistic media, Rupert Murdoch. For most small presses to be bought out by a big fish like Random House would be a dream come true, but for those who know American literature, the acquisition was nothing short of sacrilege, akin to say McDonalds presenting meals by Wolfgang Puck or Disney Inc. adding the Guggenheim to its theme park empire..
However, the truth of the matter is that Black Sparrow is in better hands than if it were to be turned over to 99.9% of small presses in operation, the vast majority of whom probably never even heard of Black Sparrow. Black Sparrow from its humble start of publishing poet Charles Bukowski on mimeographed sheets, prided itself on finding, supporting and developing literary talent, a mission that is far removed from the mission statements of just about every publishing house in today's profit-centered information age. When Martin was asked during a National Public Radio interview about the sale of Black Sparrow to Murdoch's News Corporation Ltd., one of six media groups that own publishing houses worldwide, he told one reporter, "That's just business." (Hansen & Ydstie NPR)
State of the Market
The birth of the PC and the globalization of the Internet has permanently altered the publishing industry in no less dramatic a fashion than Gothenburg's development of the first printing press half a millennium ago. It would be virtually impossible to know exactly how many publishers exist today in the world. The 135,000 books published this past year (and that only includes those registered with Browker, keeper of the world's ISBN system) (Italie, AP online) indicates that America still loves to read, that our fascination with the printed word has not succumbed to the age of visual entertainment, but it also tells of a saturated market where anybody with a PC and $89 worth of software can become a published author. Consider that 2.39 billion books -- including new and old releases -- were sold in 2002,down from 2.41 in 2000, (Italie) and one realizes just how small a piece of the pie each press is served.
Booksellers
The independent bookstores (known in the industry as "indies') are in trouble, if not on the edge of extinction, being replaced in part by larger chain stores such as Barnes and Noble, and Borders who pull in customers with coffee shop atmospheres and non-book products. The chains can negotiate volume deals with publishers, while also offering customers discount on propriety books -- titles that are published under their own labels. Internet booksellers, most notably the avaricious Amazon.com have made it so that book customers can find just about any title at below suggested retail.
The challenges to the economy over the last two years have greatly impacted the indies.. This September was the "eighth month in a row in which bookstore sales failed to keep up with overall retail (although) sales were 3.2% better than September of 2001." (ABA 2002)
California independent bookstore owner, Nicky Salan says, "Most of America's books, up until about 12 or 15 years ago, were sold in independent bookstores, We used to have a little better than 50% of the market. Now we have 17%. Over 2,000 bookstores have gone out of business in the last 10 years." (Farrington, online at NOE). The article from which that quote was taken also made mention of the fact that the public's appetite for used books will keep the independents alive. Written in 1999, the article did not foresee one of Amazon's latest marketing pitches. Tracking customers book purchases, they inform them of the demand for their purchased books and now offer the opportunity to resell them through the Amazon site.
This practice is another way Amazon is using the book industry as a loss leader," said Alex Levin, former head...
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