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The Publishers Association (PA) is looking for small businesses to create content for smartphones as part of a new competition launched by IC Tomorrow, part of the UK Technology Strategy Board.
The challenge has been created to find new ways of presenting entertainment – books, music, magazines and games – for people “on the move”.
The PA is handling the “books on the move” challenge and wants small businesses to come up with ways to engage reluctant readers via their smartphones. Applicants can focus on any part of the supply chain, retailers, publishers or consumers, and could consider how the publishing industry should create content for people who don’t normally buy books, said the PA.
The company with the best idea will win £25,000 and will be given a partner company such as a publisher or e-retailer to trial its idea.
PA chief executive Richard Mollet said the challenge is a great opportunity to engage casual readers.
"With new technology such as tablets, e-readers and mobile devices, readers have never had so many options on how to engage with content, and yet the UK is suffering from a very worrying literacy deficit with over 15% of the adult population having low literacy rates,” he said.
The contest also has three other industry partners: the British Recorded Music Industry (BPI) for music on the move, the Professional Publisher’s Association (PPA) for magazines on the move, and UK Interactive Entertainment (Ukie) for games on the move.
The organisers are running a briefing event for the contest in London 18th June. The deadline for entries is 29th July. Partner trials will take place in spring 2015.