[photopress:it_ebooks.jpg,full,alignright]China’s political advisers called for updating the country’s traditional paper-based publishing industry by digital means in light of the rapid development of information technology.
A special investigation group, composed of members of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), is in Shanghai to conduct field research about China’s publishing industry.
The 11-day investigation in Shanghai and the southwestern Sichuan Province, organized by the Education, Science, Culture and Health Committee (ESCHC) of the CPPCC, focussed on reform and innovation of the publishing industry.
In Shanghai, delegates visited the Shanghai Century Publishing Group (SCPG) and Shanghai Xinhua Media. Both have taken the lead in reforming and modernizing the traditional publishing industry.
The SCGP has published many digital products in recent years, including electronic books and an online dictionary and education program.
According to a culture ‘blue paper’ released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences early this year, 30% of handset users indicated that they would sign up to receive books and newspapers through mobile phones within the next five years.
The blue paper predicted that libraries and other users would purchase e-books and digital newspapers valued at more than RMB1 billion ($144 million) during those five years.
It also estimated advertising revenues, linked to e-books and digital newspapers purchased by netizens and handset users, would reach RMB5 billion in the next five years.
Source: China View