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Little, Brown c.e.o. Ursula Mackenzie has said publishers are "more relevant than ever" in the digital era, amid recent criticism of their relevance.
Mackenzie was writing on the Guardian's website in response to author Ray Connolly's recent">http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/aug/12/publishing-book-online-ray-c... article for the paper arguing against the need for publishing houses in the digital revolution.
She said the services publishers provide are "more useful than ever" to authors and readers. She argued: "The idea that publishers 'now appear frozen in the headlights of the onrushing digital revolution' is simply untrue. Long before the digital revolution had become a reality for readers, most major publishing houses have been planning and investing in their digital divisions in addition to 'doing the day job', publishing and selling their authors in all formats and in all markets."
She added: "Digital publishing programmes are firmly embedded in all publishing businesses: these range from simultaneous e-book editions of new titles, republishing backlists digitally, revitalising old formats with new digital content, and creating title-specific apps on the latest devices. Publishers are absolutely aware that it is in their interests, and the interests of their authors, to embrace change in the industry."
Mackenzie further enforced the role publishers play in discussing anti-piracy issues and said the digital sphere presents new problems. She added: "Protecting copyright and ensuring authors are properly paid is a key function of every publisher: publishers have created and manage anti-piracy schemes and contractual rights for e-books, often taking legal action where an author's copyright is breached."
She said while some authors may prefer to publish their own work, "a good publisher knows their market whether they are publishing in print or digitally". Mackenzie added despite Amazon's growing digital sales the "demand for print works remains very strong" and as many authors want their work in print, publishers are "a vital part of the process".
Mackenzie disputed Connolly's claim that "anyone who is computer savvy can become a publisher". She said: "Many readers like knowing the book they are going to be spending their valuable time reading has been filtered through a selection process by people whose job is to guide the reader to what they want and ensure that they spend their time – and money – wisely."