AUS: Harper Review recommends parallel imports

[jehane]

Yet another review recommending removing restrictions on parallel imports of books (among other things) with an entirely predictable response from the publishing lobby.

Link to Guardian article

[darryl]

Typical. We saw the same tired and inaccurate arguments from the music industry. Richard Flanagan? Really? He won the Man Booker prize in 2014, but I have not read any of his books. I am not therefore currently qualified to comment on the quality of his work. It is not particularly relevant, especially as he like other authors now has other options than selling his soul to a large publisher.

An excerpt from the article:

“If you were the Australian publisher of one of Flanagan’s earlier books then it may have meant you were less able to support the longer term investment needed,” the chief executive of the Australian Publishers Association, Michael Gordon-Smith, told Guardian Australia.

“It may make it harder for Flanagan to be discovered internationally.”

What a non-statement. I wonder just what "long term investment" Mr Smith is referring to. And one author may find it "harder to be discovered internationally". Even if true, it is hardly a good argument to continue the suffering and exploitation of the Australian book buying public which is fostered by these archaic and protectionist rules. Fortunately for many of us the advent of Amazon and EBooks long ago made this largely irrelevant.

[murg]

Umm...The Man Booker prize is a UK prize, requiring the book to be published by a UK based publisher.

I don't see why any Australian publisher is using it as justification for anything to have to do with Australia.

In addition, since self-published books are not eligible, the prize isn't a real reflection on what it takes to write and publish a work of literature in this day and age.

In addition, the prize rules require the shortlisted novels to kick in 5000 pounds, and the winner another 5000 pounds. This will further limit the ability of even small publishers to enter.

[Lynx-lynx]

As the Article states:

Economist Ian Harper and head of the review has proposed removing parallel import restrictions which give Australian copyright owners the right to control the distribution of their products in Australia.

The proposal does not, however, affect books sold online to Australians. There are currently no barriers to individuals buying books from giant international retailers like Amazon and this won’t change.

Such restrictions apply only to the importation of commercial quantities of a title that a publisher holds the rights to publish in Australia. Even then, a rights holder must make the title available here within a short time of its release internationally.

So what on earth do they think they'll achieve by continuing restrictions.

[jehane]

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

So what on earth do they think they'll achieve by continuing restrictions.

Complete domination of the Australian book market by Amazon (which now owns Book Depository)? The demise of local retailers?

[caleb72]

I always wonder about this. I've never liked the gouging Australian readers have received at the hands of Australian publishers such that I do most of my physical book shopping online at BookDepository.com.

However, I do wonder at the potentially negative impact on the nurturing of Australian writing talent if the squeeze was put on Australian publishers (as it would be if parallel imports were in place).

The ease of purchasing online does seem to indicate that a change is coming regardless, but as it stands, a significant enough amount of books are probably being purchased in B&M stores to lessen the potential impact.

Assuming the death of local publishing (which may be a bit extreme - but I'll leave it there for argument sake), would Australian authors have the same opportunity to be developed if an overseas publisher was their only (trad publishing) option? If it's difficult to get a publishing deal in your own country, how hard would it be to be discovered by an international publishing house?

I don't give a crap about authors outside of Australia and if parallel imports destroyed local publishing houses, I can't really see too much impact to readers - except lower prices and perhaps the death of Australian English if the imports are invariably from the U.S. However, I do care about the fate of Australian authors.

Should this concern prevent the walls coming down? Possibly not (and my purchasing habits to reveal a personal hypocrisy in the matter anyway) - but I still think there is an argument there.

[darryl]

@caleb72. Thanks for your thoughtful comments. I have always suspected that this nurturing of Australian talent argument relied upon so frequently by big publishing and big music and others is more illusory than real. I have only ever seen the odd high profile example trotted out, such as Richard Flanagan, an example which puzzled Murg for good reason. I suspect that big publishers are going to do what is good for their bottom line. And what is good for their bottom line is a little token expenditure on "local talent", the extent of which is not disclosed but is blown out of all proportion. A small investment to hold the Australian public to ransom. Bear in mind also that the large Australian publishers are mostly if not exclusively simply subsidiaries of the large multi-national publishers.

If a new author is able to convince a publisher, Australian or otherwise, that their work will be profitable, then traditionally published it will be. What may not be published traditionally are works, if there in fact are any, that are not expected to be profitable but which traditional publishers claim they take on simply for the prestige of possible awards or simply the advancement of learning in general. Works of purely local interst are going to become a much harder sell. But the author now has the option of self-publishing these works. Like it or not, we now largely have one world market for writing talent, as well as one world market for english language books.

I do not see a need to subsidise local writing talent. However, if there is one, I would rather see it done under Government supervision by an accountable body with a set budget rather than by way of an unaccountable group of multi-national publishers given a licence to rape and pillage the Australian book buying public.

[caleb72]

I'm not sure why Richard Flanagan would be a puzzling example for publishers to use in this argument. If he had not been published by an Australian publisher, there's the possibility he would not have been invested in by an overseas publisher. The fact that his latest book must also have been published in the UK for him to win the Man Booker prize doesn't really do anything to lessen the point being made.

I also don't think it's as simple as saying if an author deserves to be published he/she will be regardless of the location of the publisher.

Having said that, the fear that is being raised is just fear. Would future Richard Flanagans fail to be discovered if changes to parallel import taxes are made? I don't know is my answer and I'd be surprised if anyone could really answer that conclusively. However, I would imagine there are numerous possible outcomes from allowing parallel imports that are not quite as desperate. Australian publishers are unlikely to focus on them, of course.

[darryl]

@caleb72. I thought Murg's post made some interesting points in relation to the Man Booker Prize, which do not exactly enhance the standing of the award in my eyes. Nevertheless it is true to say that he may not have been eligible for or won that prize if not published in Australia. My callous response is that I could care less, not because I wish Mr Flanagan any ill, but because the price paid by Australian Consumers is far too high. If publishers seriously wish to argue to retain the legislation, why are we left with this nebulous appeal to patriotism and anecdotal "evidence". Where are the hard figures or at least reasonable estimates of the amount that goes into publishers coffers through this legislation and the amount which is actually expended on Australian talent. Surely we are entitled to expect more than just the sprouting of a few names.

And I think it is in fact as simple as saying that an author who deserves to be published will be published. Unfortunately I think it is equally true for some authors who do not deserve to be published. I refer of course to self-publishing. Your point is absolutely correct when it comes to traditional publishing. Though at least self-publishing is now a real alternative to those rejected by traditional publishers for whatever reason.

I agree that no one can answer the question you pose about the discovery of future Richard Flanagan's, though once again my response is that I could care less. I draw the inference that the appeal to emotion by publishers is because the hard facts and figures do not support their position. If it is in fact desirable to assist local authors I don't think the solution is to throw money at large multinational publishers in the form of this legislation, particularly when they are not accountable for what if any proportion of this windfall is spent on such assistance.

As you say, there may well be better solutions. It is about time this one was thrown out, bathwater, baby and all!

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by darryl

. It is about time this one was thrown out, bathwater, baby and all!

Well, in the theoretical case aussie tradpub houses collapse or (more likely) the giant multinationals pull out, three paths would remain for authors:

- Self-pubishing, of course. As long as they avoid Author Solutions and the vanity presses they can still get to market via the established global channels.

- "New Publishing" operations like author coops and very small publishing houses that would pick up the slack for the departed. (Like birds and mammals filling the voids left by the death of dinosaurs.)

- The death/departure of the larger publishing houses shouldn't mean agents go away. If anything, competent honest agents with connections in the international markets would be essential for those firmly wedded to traditional publishing.

I doubt aussie literature is as dependent on the big publishers as they would have you believe. Biggest change would be authors are going to have to be more active in managing their own careers (as a business) which is something authors everywhere are facing, anyway.

[darryl]

@fjtorres. I would be amazed if any of them pull out simply because of abandoning this legislation. For the moment, at least, there is money to be made. And if they do go, then:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1a...-goodbye_music

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by darryl

@fjtorres. I would be amazed if any of them pull out simply because of abandoning this legislation. For the moment, at least, there is money to be made. And if they do go, then:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1a...-goodbye_music

Well, leaving is the worst case scenario for tradpub-focused authors, no?
And if viable alternatives exist so it won't be the end of the world...

(Didn't one of the BPHs quit NZ a year or so ago? Or was it just a threat?)

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

...(Didn't one of the BPHs quit NZ a year or so ago? Or was it just a threat?)

Hatchette did, comment was due to erosion of pBook sales by eBooks and parallel importing of pBooks by consumers at much cheaper prices, but hard to know how true that was (eBooks and pBooks, like most everything else can be parallel imported). May have just been a sensible cost decision in reality due to small market?

Harper Collins moved warehousing distribution to Australia also around the same time but that was stated to be just for cost savings.

While there was some gnashing of teeth at the time by the usual noisy people who feel they have to fill a column inch or two in the news media, driven by their own selfinterest reasons, I don't think it has made any difference, just part of the changing world with better communications, etc.

Also has to be seen in the context that while there is a highish readership level in NZ it is in a very, very small market. Population of the whole country is roughly just that of Sydney, and even the biggest city, Auckland is only around the size of Adelaide. Also the population is not concentrated it being spread across many small cities so not easy for most to get access to big bookshops; consequently internet sales are popular and once one is on the internet who cares where the book comes from as long as the price is right.

[caleb72]

Originally Posted by caleb72

Having said that, the fear that is being raised is just fear. Would future Richard Flanagans fail to be discovered if changes to parallel import taxes are made? I don't know is my answer and I'd be surprised if anyone could really answer that conclusively. However, I would imagine there are numerous possible outcomes from allowing parallel imports that are not quite as desperate. Australian publishers are unlikely to focus on them, of course.

I should have gone further with my question there. It is probably equally relevant to ask: "Are past, present and future Richard Flanagans failing to be discovered because of the status quo of traditional publishing in Australia?"

There's no reason to think the current situation is the perfect mechanism to discover brilliant authors.

[darryl]

Originally Posted by caleb72

I should have gone further with my question there. It is probably equally relevant to ask: "Are past, present and future Richard Flanagans failing to be discovered because of the status quo of traditional publishing in Australia?"

There's no reason to think the current situation is the perfect mechanism to discover brilliant authors.

Very true. We can only hope that the new system which develops does a better job. Though no system is or will be perfect. At least self-publishing will allow those currently undiscovered brilliant authors to publish. What it will not do is guarantee that they receive the attention they deserve nor will it fund them or provide funds for their development.