Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew H.
People said that iTunes and similar distribution models would end the traditional music business because musicians would be able to record and distribute their own music without having to go through a record company.
But in practice this has only happened at the margins, and often with bands that became known when they were traditionally published. In the vast majority of cases, consumers are still buying music produced by traditional record companies in the traditional way.
I think the same thing will happen with books - big publishers aren't going away because they offer too many important services to authors and consumers. But, at the margins, there will be some additional offerings...especially among authors who already have a following.
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Bands have recorded, produced and distributed their own music since the late 70s. What the corporations had a stranglehold on then, and now, is radio and TV airplay. People will only buy what they know to exist, which in the majority of cases is the corporation-produced music they hear on the radio.
I don't see that same problem with ebooks. Corporation-produced books share the same shelf space as writer-produced ones and they can all be sampled in the same way.