| The future of the printed word may depend on | | | | at Ojr.org, he notes that subsidising the publishing |
| government subsidies, according to several stories | | | | industry is a longstanding institution of the US |
| circulating at the moment. Not only in Canada, where | | | | Government. This is in spite of widely held right-wing |
| government support for ‘literary arts already totals | | | | perceptions to the contrary. Beginning with the Postal |
| tens of millions, but in the United States, where | | | | Act 1792, the cost of mailing magazines and |
| attitudes to state intervention are more hostile, the idea | | | | newspapers has been subsidised. Even today |
| of supporting the ailing publishing industry with financial | | | | ‘Federal and state governments forego about |
| subsidies is gaining traction. This possibility – first | | | | $890 million a year on income and sales tax breaks to |
| raised by writers at the Washington Post in November | | | | the newspaper industry.’ It is only during the last |
| - has emerged owing to a terrible year for publishing. | | | | few years – as publishers have come under threat |
| Publishers have struggled to make the shift to online | | | | from digital media, no less – that state legislatures |
| media profitable, and redundancies have followed. | | | | have queried this arrangement. |
| In an 8 December post by David Kaplan at | | | | The dire condition of the publishing industry may lead |
| PaidContent.org, he writes that the quantity of | | | | officials of the US Government to change direction |
| magazine publishers appearing at the USB Media | | | | once more. In India, the government has sought to |
| Week Conference will shrink by almost 5%. This is but | | | | bolster newspaper revenues by paying more for their |
| the latest in a series of bracing reports to challenge not | | | | printed advertisements. In France, 18-24 year olds are |
| only publishers but the print industry. For example, it | | | | now offered a free 3 year newspaper subscription to |
| was found recently that almost 87,000 in the US print | | | | increase readership rates. These are not permanent |
| industry this year have been made unemployed. | | | | measures, but means of assistance for an industry |
| Yet the deluge of bad news seems to have awoken | | | | that has suffered particularly badly in the global |
| people to the fact that the publishing industry is worth | | | | recession. |
| saving – by whatever means. Tom Clavin at has | | | | Moreover, from the perspectives of the elected |
| proposed that ‘printing on demand’ may save | | | | officials, the packages are not designed to |
| the printed text from total collapse. His suggestion | | | | ‘save’ publishing but ensure a plurality of |
| though reduces print to a niche industry: an aesthetic | | | | communication methods. Magazines Canada CEO |
| novelty subordinate to the digital colossus. Yet some | | | | Mark Jamison told Macleans.ca that ‘The |
| writers would prefer that publishing be saved | | | | government’s role is about ensuring that Canadian |
| wholesale. In an 8 December article entitled ‘Keep | | | | voices can be heard through a variety of means.’ |
| Print Alive,’ Rachel Mendleson of Macleans.ca | | | | Though the publishing industry may welcome |
| writes of the possibility of larger subsidies by the | | | | government subsidies, in short, this doesn’t enable |
| Canadian government for the publishing industry. In | | | | newspapers to put aside the challenges faced from |
| 2007 $80 million was contributed. | | | | the digital market. |
| Elsewhere, in a 30 November post by David Westphal | | | | |