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Page: Industry still finding its way

16.03.07

The Guardian catches up with Faber chief executive Stephen Page following his World Book Day speech. In the speech made two weeks ago, Page argued that the need for publishers, or "arbiters of taste", is stronger than ever. "Without publishers' expert marketing skills ... you are awash in the effluent of abundance," he opines. "We know as publishers just how many people would like to write a book. My view is that they are often better at that than finding readers." "This is a really tough market ... where we're facing the biggest change since Caxton," he says. "But I have enormous confidence in why people read."

In conversation, he can seem romantic and a bit old-fashioned about why independent houses such as Faber, with its four published authors on staff, have a strong future, says the Guardian's interviewer. "There are some very clever people here committed to finding readers for writers," he says.

In terms of the online challenge, he says the difference with other industries is they are simply more suited to online downloads. "I am yet to be convinced that the technology is available to replace books. They are flexible, affordable, beautiful, lovable and seductive." Yet he recognises that the industry is still trying to find its way through a fast-changing world. "How do we make money online? We're all trying to work that out."






Guardian

Stephen Page Faber World Book Day

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