[rlauzon]

Originally Posted by rmeister0

People don't listen to the radio like the did in the 20s, people don't go to the movies like they did in the 40s, and people don't watch TV like they did in the 60s. We've also heard that people don't play video games like they used to. People don't play role-playing games like they used to. Yet somehow, all these industries have survived.

We aren't talking about the industries surviving, but I have to laugh when they do a poor job and then cry because sales fall off.

Originally Posted by rmeister0

The problem is not that the publishers think they can dictate what we will read to us, the problem is that they have no idea what we will read and are unwilling to take risks.

Then they aren't doing their jobs. All companies know that they need to find out what their customers want. Except for the entertainment industries, it seems.

Originally Posted by rmeister0

I also don't think extended copyright terms have anything to do with this. It is simply a lemming mentality among book publishers, nothing more.

I disagree. The long copyright terms have reduced competition and have contributed to the entertainment industry's complacency.

I believe that if copyright terms were a reasonable length, there would be more competition, which means that the entertainment industries would work harder to produce something that people want to see, and take more risks.

Originally Posted by rmeister0

One other thing I think is going on is that books are increasingly being sold to a smaller, more hardcore market and is freezing out casual readers.

I can't disagree with that. I am encountering more and more people who haven't read what I consider to be "classics".

Originally Posted by rmeister0

A casual reader is not going to dive into a 700 page monstrosity that is book one of a series with 6 volumes and hasn't ended yet. But walk through the fiction section and you'll see more and more of that.

I can't help but think that is the reason that Manga is getting more and more popular.