The publishing industry is now changing faster than ever before due to internet services, digital publishing, free blogging platforms and open access journals. How will this continue to evolve in the future? Will the erosion of traditional publishing methods continue and how will publishing companies adapt? What are the growing entrepreneurial opportunities in this dynamic industry?

Join us for a day of publishing talks, discussion and networking on 12th June! Hear ten speakers talk about their industry and how it is changing. The event will be hosted by the Edinburgh Entrepreneurship Club and is free and open to the public. Past participants have included entrepreneurs, students, investors, staff and business people from a range of industries.

The day will be split into three sessions:

Session One

Open Information, Innovation & Communication: Making Publicly Funded Information Free

Publicly funded research in the sciences, medicine, the arts and the humanities is often hidden behind paywalls and access is limited to those organisations who can afford to pay substantial subscription fees. Over the last decade, this model has been changing and innovations are now being widely supported by the government, funding agencies, researchers and the public. This session will explore how open data, open access and digital communications can help to make cutting edge research more efficient and engaging for the widest possible audience.

Session Two

From Gutenberg to Amazon: The Evolving Modes of Publishing

The traditional publishing process is evolving as alternative options such as Print-On-Demand or e-book publishing provide authors with the opportunity to take their books to market independently and retain control of the publishing and marketing process. In 2009, 76% of books were self-published, but is this method better than going through a publisher?

Session Three

Can Blogs, Apps and Newspapers Co-exist in Harmony?

Certain forms of traditional media have not been winning any popularity contests recently due to a combination of tough competition and bad behaviour. At the same time, the expansion of news sources in the form of user tailored apps, news websites, social media and blogs is changing how news is being consumed. These new models are subsequently influencing innovations in advertising, media distribution and content. This session will explore the rising digital side of media.