WWW.PUBLISHERSWEEKLY.COM 21publishers. In the U.K., Brexit has finally come—though no one
is yet clear about what this means. In Europe, changes approved
last year to E.U. copyright law remain a thorny subject, with the
battleground now shifting to member nations’ own legislatures.
Across the world, a growing open access movement continues to
transform scientific publishing. And, in 2020, you can add a new
wild card to the list: a coronavirus pandemic is snarling interna-
tional travel and potentially infecting the global economy.
But as the famous poster advises, London Book Fair organizers
are keeping calm and carrying on. And for all the uncertainty in
the world, the 2020 London Book Fair program is certainly a
good one. Among this year’s changes, the Quantum preconfer-
ence has been replaced by a series of branded Quantum talks to
be held throughout the fair. Also new this year is the fair’s inau-
gural Audio Summit (Tuesday, 9:45 a.m.–1:45 p.m.), which will
take place in a new dedicated Audio HQ area at Olympia. And
the fair’s professional program will feature a full slate of talks
and panels on key issues, including rights and translations,
copyright, the freedom to publish, open access and scholarly
publishing, and self-publishing.
Also added to the program is a Global 50 CEO Talk featuring
a timely participant: Storytel CEO Jonas Tellander, who will
discuss how digital subscriptions are influencing the global book
market (Tuesday, 2:30–3:30 p.m., Olympia Room Grand Hall).
For more, consult the full 2020 London Book Fair program
online. And read on for PW’s annual roundup of some of the big
properties U.S. agents will be selling at the fair. ■New programs and new opportunities await publishers at the 2020 London Book Fair
BY ANDREW RICHARD ALBANESE
F
or the past four years, publishers have headed to
the London Book Fair amid a rather curious set of
circumstances. As Faber & Faber CEO Stephen
Page noted in his opening keynote at 2019’s
Quantum preconference, the book business has
been enjoying an extended period of stability. Yet at the same
time, world events have been chaotic and worrisome, including
Brexit, the Trump administration’s unpredictable actions, a
frightening uptick in prejudice and nationalism, the prolifera-
tion of fake news and increasingly sophisticated disinformation
campaigns on social media, and, in some corners of the globe,
outright crackdowns on free speech.
As publishers prepare for the 2020 London Book Fair, set
for Tuesday to Thursday, March 10–12, at Olympia London,
business remains stable. In the U.K., 2019 was another solid
year for publishers, with revenues for British publishers up
2.4% in 2019 over 2018, according to Nielsen BookScan—a
fifth consecutive year of revenue growth. In the U.S. market,
however, NPD BookScan reports that after six straight years
of gains, unit sales of print books declined in 2019 compared
to the previous year.
Globally, digital audio remains a bright spot for a mature
publishing industry that has been searching for a path to real,
organic growth. The most recent figures in the U.S. showed a
24% jump in audio sales last year over 2018, the eighth
straight year of double-digit growth, with audio revenues
poised to top $1 billion in 2020.
But for publishers, forecasting the future isn’t getting any
easier. The growth of digital audio, for example, comes with
new challenges—mainly, evolving business models and
changing consumer expectations in a market where Amazon,
Netflix, and Spotify are the new standards. Case in point: in
Sweden, companies like Storytel are aggressively marketing
their digital subscription services for audio and e-books. In a
report released last month, the Swedish publishers and book-
sellers association revealed that revenue from digital subscription
services jumped 36.2% in 2019 over 2018, which was enough
to overcome declines at bookstores and supermarkets but which
furthered concerns that so-called all-you-can-eat subscriptions
will cannibalize publishers’ traditional book sales.
Meanwhile, the political chaos show no signs of easing. Post-
impeachment, and in an election year, the Trump administration
continues to undermine Americans’ confidence in the free press.
And future trade agreements and tariffs remain uncertain for The Grand Hall at Olympia London during last year’s London Book Fair.