An important project for China’s publishing industry was recently launched, the “Chinese Character Bank”. This database will include many traditional Chinese characters for the first time, thus meeting the needs of expression, transmission and storage on computers. The project is already in R&D and will be finished in five years. Experts state that the scope [...]
Archive for the ‘digital media’ category
“Chinese Character Bank” project launched
08/09/2011Foreign Language Teaching & Research Press: on digital road to educational service provider (China)
08/09/2011At the 18th Beijing International Book Fair, the Foreign Language Teaching & Research Press launched new digital products [see post "Roads of China’s digital publishing export"] : a digital reading pen for foreign languages “Wai Yantong” [probably Viaton], Internet teaching materials and a collaborative translation platform. The digital reading pen will be promoted in primary [...]
Shanda Literature (China): harvest of diverse development
06/09/2011Thanks to its diverse reading channels and development, Shanda Literature earned 173 million RMB net revenue in the second quarter this year (+24% y-o-y) according to its latest financial statement, for a total of 311 million RMB net revenue in the first half year (+111% y-o-y). At present, Shanda Literature has six original literature webs [...]
Roads of China’s digital publishing export
06/09/2011During the Beijing International Book Fair, journalists of China Press and Publishing Journal interviewed participants about their viewpoints and experiences concerning “go out”. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press (FLTRP): new content channels and technology for overseas markets. To make its products more suitable for overseas markets, FLTRP has adapted content to different media formats [...]
China’s publishing industry: “going out” success factors
05/09/2011According to the 2011 Press and Publication Industry Report released recently, China’s “deficit” in copyright trade is narrowing [see post "China’s copyright trade improving"], and the “go out” strategy of Chinese publications has made excellent progress. Major reasons are: Focus on both domestic and foreign markets At present, China’s publishing companies participate in book fairs [...]
Factors influencing China’s book import & export
02/09/2011In 2010, the export of all kinds of publications continued to increase, but an unfavorable balance of trade still exists. However, due to the following factors, the negative balance between import and export in the book market is gradually reduced: Book export channels and paths are more diversified and books on learning Chinese are very [...]
18th Beijing International Book Fair opened (China)
31/08/2011The 18th Beijing International Book Fair opened at the China International Exhibition Center with a total exhibition area of 53,600 m2. As the guest of honor, Netherland has an exhibition area of 1,500 m2. The digital publishing section covering 10,000 m2 is a highlight of this fair, and digital reading terminal products as well as [...]
China’s copyright trade improving
31/08/2011In recent years, the ratio between copyright import & export has gradually been reduced. According to the “2010 Analysis Report on the News and Publishing Industry”, the proportion of copyright export to copyright import was 1:2.9 in 2010, down from 1:3.3 a year earlier. During last year’s Beijing International Book Fair, a total of 2379 [...]
Telecoms deemed in dominating position for mobile reading in China
30/08/2011With Shengda Literature’s founding in 2008, the real commercial operation of online literature began, and the company became the biggest winner in the mobile market. Literature websites continue to develop rapidly due to mobile reading offers such as China Mobile Reading Base [see previous post "Mobile phones in China – competition for e-readers"], and they [...]
Mobile reading revenue growth in China slowing down
30/08/2011In the second quarter of 2011, mobile reading revenue growth slowed down to 3.43% q-o-q for a turnover of 1.12 billion RMB, according to data provided by Analysis International. One reason are unsubscriptions of mobile newspapers and their unauthorized offers in Apple and Android app stores. Mobile newspapers showed negative growth and only contributed 628 [...]
“Red Comic Book Series” iPad edition launched in China
26/08/2011China Publishing Group Digital Media Co. issued the “Red Comic Book Series” iPad edition, which includes hundreds of classic “red” (communist) comic works since the founding of China. This comic book series is divided into 5 parts, with one part issued each week. Source: “Red Comic Book Series” iPad edition launched (in Chinese) Also see [...]
Chongqing Daily launched iPad app (China)
26/08/2011The Chongqing Daily launched it’s iPad app which includes both the “original (paper) edition” as well as the “real-time update edition” offering the latest information. Users can download the application from Apple’s App Store for free to read the latest six issues Chongqing Daily. Source: Chongqing Daily launched iPad application (in Chinese)
Mobile phones in China – competition for e-readers
25/08/2011More and more readers in China choose mobile phones as their device for e-reading [note: causing headaches for Hanvon and others, see post "E-readers in China encountering bottlenecks"], while authors and publishing houses try to cooperate with “mobile reading base” providers. China Mobile Reading Base: paying great attention to content quality Zhong Tianhua, Board Chairman [...]
E-readers in China encountering bottlenecks
24/08/2011With the reduction of revenue, China’s domestic e-reader market has been experiencing a tough period in the recent months. Some of the reasons are: E-reader industry enters the “platform development stage” Compared with the good situationin overseas markets, industry experts think that the development of e-readers in China is still in an initial stage, and [...]
First Educational Journal Reform & Development Summit Forum held (China)
19/08/2011The First Educational Journal Reform & Development Summit Forum was held in Beijing on August 18th. In the center of discussion were issues of quality improvement and digital operation of educational journals as well as the problems with quality and page fees of academic journals. Experts suggest that for an increase in revenue, educational journals [...]
Publishing houses in China to receive larger share of mobile reading cake?
17/08/2011Recently, the “Memorandum of Strategic Cooperation on the Mutual Promotion of Digital Publishing Industry Development” was signed by GAPP and China Mobile. China Mobile has it’s own standard for selecting books and setting prices, so publishing houses have less decision-making rights and receive only 40% of the revenue, which they consider insufficient. To deal with [...]
Educational publishing in China: Will e-schoolbag replace 36 billion textbooks?
15/08/2011In the 12th Five-year plan for China’s press and publishing industry, the “e-schoolbag” is described as a combination of mobile terminals, e-education service platforms and systems for resource processing and publishing of digital education content in a network environment. In the past several years, reading habits in China changed drastically. According to the 8th National [...]
Baidu + Fanshu.com: new digital book market monopoly on the horizon in China?
11/08/2011Two recent events caused a wake-up call for online booksellers in China, who had felt save from the uncertain future of physical bookstores: Online bookstore Jingdong Mall supposedly paid around 10 million RMB for exclusive debut rights to Annie Baobei‘s new novel. [As mentioned on her blog, "Spring Feast" -my translation of 春宴- was available [...]
How 3 publication distribution groups in China adjust to new challenges
11/08/20112011 is the first year of the 12th Five-year Plan, so development of the press and publication distribution industry this year will profoundly effect the future. Some of the reactions to the many challenges distribution groups are facing were mentioned in interviews of China Press and Publication Journal: Strategy adjustments in the face of bigger [...]
Three models for digital publishing transformation in China
09/08/2011Traditional publishing units in China are currently carrying out digital transformation using three different approaches: 1. Establishing digital publishing platforms With Dajia Net of China Publishing Group Digital Media Corp. as an example, establishing a digital publishing platform has become the inevitable choice for most digital media companies. Targeting all kinds of customer groups, such [...]
Shanghai will strive for 70 billion RMB annual output in Digital Publishing (China)
08/08/2011In 2010, Shanghai’s digital industry achieved sales of more than 22 billion RMB, accounting for 19.9% of the country. As the first national digital publishing base set up three years ago, Shanghai’s Zhangjiang National Digital Publishing Base has attracted 280 enterprises and about 3 billion RMB investment generating total sales revenue of 11 billion RMB. [...]
Database to collect data on overseas Chinese culture academic works
05/08/2011On July 22nd, the launch of the Chinese Culture Overseas Distribution Dynamic Database Program was announced at a seminar hosted by Beijing Foreign Studies University. This program aims to collect and analyze overseas distribution data of Chinese culture academic works to support governmental policy-making and the “go out” strategy. During the program’s first stage until [...]
Digital media in education: “e-schoolbag” project extended in China
04/08/2011On July 27th, the Municipal Education Commission, Municipal Press and Publication Bureau and Hongkou District government in Shanghai signed the Strategic Cooperation Agreement on Promoting a Digital Learning Environment to promote the “e-schoolbag” project in Shanghai’s Hongkou District. In the first half of this year, eight schools in the district have successfully conducted the pilot [...]
Yet another National Digital Publishing Base in China – and the first for packaging
04/08/2011At a July 29th Press Conference of Shaanxi Province it was announced that Xian will build two national press and publishing bases: National Printing & Packaging Industrial Base The only one in the country focusing on the printing and packaging industry in China. National Digital Publishing Base Focusing on mobile publishing, e-books, digitalization of traditional [...]
China’s e-reader giant: How can Hanvon regain past glory?
04/08/2011As the “giant” in China’s e-reader industry, Hanvon Technology enjoyed a rapid and positive development during 2009-2010. However, the pattern has changed gradually as more and more enterprises entered the market. However, the fundamental reason for Hanvon’s decline is its weakness in internal competitiveness according to Yu Ren of Beijing University’s School of Journalism and [...]
Key tasks of China’s digital publishing industry
01/08/2011In April, GAPP launched the Press and Publishing Industry Development Plan for the 12th-Five Year Plan mentioning seven key tasks which are to be finished in this time period, including “meeting the needs of digitization, informatization and network trends to promote the reform and upgrade of the press and publishing industry”. Since digitalization is the [...]
Digital publishing standards to be issued in China before the end of 2011
26/07/2011A standards system for the digital publishing industry will be released officially before the end of this year, with thirteen enterprises such as China Online, Baidu, China Mobile, Hanvon and Founder taking part in the formulation of the detailed classification standards for e-books, mobile publishing, audio publications etc. There is no doubt that these enterprises [...]
Industry experts’ analysis of Digital Publishing Report (China)
22/07/2011The recently released “2010-2011 Annual China Digital Publishing Report” stated that the total output value of China’s publishing industry in 2010 reached 105.179 billion RMB, (+31.97%), with mobile publishing, online games and internet advertising each constituting a bit more than 30% of digital publishing’s annual output value. Industry experts made a detailed analysis and say [...]
Baidu Library signs agreement with publishers to sell authorised ebooks （China）
19/07/2011After the copyright infringement allegations against Baidu Library in March，an agreement to sell ebooks was now reached with several publishing houses and consulting companies in the press industry including Wenhui Publishing House， Blue Lion Readers’ Club and eBook House Culture. There are currently 10,067 authorised ebooks sold in Baidu Library from 47 copyright holders. Ebooks [...]
China’s Copyright Law to be revised – adjust to digital age
18/07/2011On July 13th, GAPP and China’s National Copyright Administration held the kick-off meeting for the 3rd revision of the Copyright Law, which was initially enacted 20 years ago and since then has been revised twice in 2001 and 2010. Liu Binjie, the Director of GAPP, said that it is important to revise the law in [...]
China already global new media superpower, says “China New Media Development Report (2011)”
18/07/2011The “China New Media Development Report (2011)” was released on July 12th as the first blue book on new media. With 450 million Internet users and 900 million mobile phone users, China has already become the country with the largest number of new media users in the world. The report pays great attention to hot [...]
Liu Binjie(GAPP): Digital publishing integration and business models remain problems (China)
13/07/2011Liu Binjie, Director of GAPP, attended the 4th China Digital Publishing Fair on July 8, focusing on digital publishing issues, such us the integration of satellite digital communication platforms and rural book houses, the current situation of digital content distribution platforms, the development of mobile reading and the digital transformation of traditional publishing institutions. Liu [...]
Digital Publishing in China in the next five years: 6 focal areas of development
12/07/2011At the opening of the Fourth Chinese Digital Publishing Exposition on July 6th at the Beijing International Conference Center, General Adminstration of Press and Publication Vice Director Sun Shoushan gave a speech on “Being Confident and Creative to Accelerate Sustainable Development of Digital Publishing”. Sun stated that in order to raise the share of digital [...]
More than 100 publishers join Apabi’s Cloud Computing Publishing Platform (China)
11/07/2011At the recent 2011 Founder Digital Publishing Industry Summit held in Beijing, Apabi Technology Ltd. of the Founder Group announced the launch of a cloud computing platform for publishing services. This platform allows publishers to exchange their digital resources while maintaining their copyright. The platform thus offers an opportunity to conduct a new business in [...]
GAPP establishes strategic cooperation with China Mobile for digital publishing
07/07/2011On July 5th, GAPP and China Mobile signed a “Memorandum of Cooperation on Strategic Development in Digital Publishing”. According to the document, GAPP will cooperate with China Mobile in offering internet technology services and operation control of digital products to publishing houses. A cooperation in digital copyright is also intended in order to launch digital [...]
Wake-up call for traditional publishers: Appeal in China’s first digital copyright case turned down – industry voices
06/07/2011On July 4th, China’s so-called “first digital copyright case” [see post "First digital copyright case decided in China"] came to an end with the court dismissing Zhonghua Book Company’s appeal. Voices of publishing insiders on this case: Bi Yu of Light Industry (Beijing) Web Press Ltd.: Publishing houses should increase competitiveness in digital copyright and [...]
China’s Times Publishing Group enters digital publishing business with “Times E-Blog”
01/07/2011Times E-Blog, an omni-media digital publishing platform of Times Publishing Group developed by its subsidiary Anhui Higher Education Press, was officially launched on June 28th, meaning its digital publishing business is entering the operational phase. The platform belongs to a list of key reform and development projects during the 12th Five-year plan. Its operation model [...]
Digital (dictionary) publishing cooperation models in China
30/06/2011In order to realize the upgrade and transformation of dictionary publishing, traditional publishers need to cooperate with technology operators. These cooperation models can be classified into five categories listed below. [Note: Although the article also mentions pros and cons of each model, I initially had hoped for more China-related aspects which it doesn't deliver.] Self-reliant [...]
Feedback on digital schoolbag pilot project in Shanghai, China
28/06/2011Liu Binjie, GAPP director, stated that China will strongly promote e-schoolbags in primary and secondary schools. Feedback during a pilot project using e-schoolbags in schools of Shanghai’s Hongkou District included: Parents are concerned about the device’s electromagnetic radiation and the screen’s negative effect on children’s eyes. The development of content resources can’t keep up with [...]
First digital copyright case decided in China
28/06/2011In October, 2009, Zhonghua Book Company accused Hanvon Technology of infringing its copyright. Last week, the verdict on China’s “first digital copyright case” came down: Zhonghua Book Company lost the lawsuit. The case reflects the disorder in the digital copyright trading market, therefore, establishing a fair digital copyright sharing platform becomes very necessary and urgent. [...]
Beijing Youth Daily Group launches Beiqing Pad (China)
27/06/2011The new media Beiqing Pad, developed by Beijing Youth Daily Group, was featured at the Party Newspaper and Magazine Career Development Achievement Exhibition for the 90th Anniversary of the CPC. With the self-developed Beiqing OS the tablet computer allows newspaper reading, videos, games, online interaction and a large number of apps. Source:Beiqing Pad launched in [...]
104 “red” classic comic strips published in China
27/06/2011On June 20th, 104 jointly edited “red” classic comic strips in 170 volumes were published in print and digital form by several publishing houses such as China Fine Arts Publishing House and People’s Art Press in order to celebrate the Chinese Communist Party’s 90th anniversary. The “red” comic strips were funded by the government, with [...]
Shanda Literature’s six acquisitions in 2010 (China)
27/06/2011This article provides tables on the five online literature websites and one offline book distribution company Shengda Literature acquired last year for 140 million RMB, as well as data such as investment and revenue as submitted in the SEC prospectus: Rongshuxia (榕树下) — http://www.rongshuxia.com/ Beijing Zhongzhibowen Book Distribution Company (中智博文) — http://www.zzbwbook.com/ Tianfang Audiobook Net [...]
Xinhua News Agency releases “China Net Matter” app
23/06/2011“China Net Matter”, a news information app integrating text, photography, video and microblog, was officially launched by Xinhua News Agency recently. As an innovative measure to promote transformation from the traditional news-oriented format to modern multimedia news, the app will focus on Xinhua News Agency’s multimedia news column “China Net Matter” (launched in 2010) on [...]
China Publishing Blue Book: Traditional publishing practitioners don’t need to worry about their future
22/06/2011With the rapid development of digital media, many practitioners in traditional publishing begin to worry about the future. However, the release of the “2010-2011 Development Report on China’s Publishing Industry (China Publishing Blue Book)” may relieve their anxiety. The report summarized major changes of China’s publishing industry in 2010. Among them, the upgrade of traditional [...]
China Publishing Blue Book: six development trends in 2011
21/06/2011The “2010-2011 Development Report on China’s Publishing Industry (China Publishing Blue Book)” has been released. According to the report’s analysis, the development of China’s publishing industry will show six trends in 2011: Consumer publications will emerge. More ventures between central and local publishing groups. Capital operation of publishing enterprises will focus on new media. Digital [...]
Digital publishing business opportunities for Taiwan on Mainland (China)
17/06/2011According to the Cross-Strait Press and Publication Industry Development Forum, the digital publishing consumer market increasingly matured during the 11th Five-Year Plan period, with the gross output of digital publishing exceededing 100 billion RMB in 2010. 2011 is the first year of implementation of the ECFA (Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement) for both sides of the [...]
