Editorial Director Jim Milliot talks about how leading trade magazine Publishers Weekly views book publishing today and the rise of the indie publisher.

In a wide-ranging interview, Jim Milliot looks at how book publishing has changed in the last decade and how Publishers Weekly has adopted strategies to adjust, such as developing digital outlets for news and advertising in the face of declining print sales. As a result, today PW reaches a huge audience, surprisingly made up mostly of consumers looking for reviews and opinions to guide their buying choices.

Jim also talks about different ways PW serves the publishing industry, not just the BIg 5 but smaller presses. He suggests different ways indies can get coverage, and he emphasizes that PW plays an important advocacy role when it comes to creating a level playing field for publishers of all sizes.

At the end, Jim has a rather surprising take on the overall health of the American book publishing industry.

To visit Publishers Weekly online, go to https://www.publishersweekly.com/

Participants

Jim Milliot, editorial director, has been with Publishers Weekly for 23 years. Jim edits news on mergers, acquisitions, and financial performance for the weekly magazine and for the PW Daily online Newsletter. His reporting and insights into the changing publishing industry are often quoted in the media, and he regularly appears on book industry panels. Jim is also a member of the IBPA board.

Peter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career in Tokyo, Japan, in 1976. A longtime member of IBPA, he has served on the IBPA board and as IBPA board chair.