Russia at BEA: Read this post and be an expert on the Russian Publishing Industry

Well, you might become an expert, but you will be privy to some useful news on the Russian publishing market that will give you great insight to state of the industry in Russia.  Up top are details the 2 panels the Read Russia team is presenting at BEA next week and that is followed by an article from the UK Bookseller detailing the investment that Russia is making in supporting its publishing industry.
 

THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2013  10:30 - 11:00 AM                Midtown Stage
READ RUSSIA PRESENTS:  
The Read Russia English Translation Prize & New Translation Grant Opportunities
The Russian federal government and associated institutions and philanthropies are launching major new grants, gifts, and publishing support opportunities for U.S. and other English-language publishers and translators of classic and contemporary Russian literature.  Join the Institute of Translation, Read Russia, the Yeltsin Center, and other eleemosynary personalities for a discussion of these new opportunities at BEA!
Moderator: Peter B. Kaufman, President and Executive Director, Read Russia
Contact person: Peter B. Kaufman, Cell: 917 969-7756

FRIDAY, MAY 31, 2013 2:00 - 2:30 PM                Midtown Stage
READ RUSSIA PRESENTS:  New Trends in Russian Literature & Russian Publishing
Join Olga Slavnikova, Andrei Gelasimov, Irina Muravyova, and other leading lights from the Russian literary world for an overview of  the newest bestselling Russian fiction and nonfiction plus opportunities for English-language translation and publication support.  
Moderator: Peter B. Kaufman, President and Executive Director, Read Russia
Contact person: Peter B. Kaufman, Cell: 917 969-7756

From the UK Bookseller:

The Russian government will help its ailing book industry by investing up to RUB 3bn (£63m) to support domestic publishing this year, taking the money from a federal “Culture of Russia” arts funding programme.

According to the Federal Press and Mass Communications State Agency (FPMC)—the government body responsible for developing Russia’s publishing industry, which is co-ordinating the Culture of Russia scheme until 2018—the funds will enable the publication of at least 550 new titles, mostly by Russian authors.

A FPMC spokesperson said preference would be given to scientific, technical and encyclopedic literature, as well titles on culture and art. Within the subsidy, about RUB 300m (£6.3m) will be invested in publishing books of “social importance”, books targeted at disabled people and literary translations.

At the same time, around RUB 100m (£2.1m) will be spent promoting Russian books abroad, notably helping publishers and booksellers participate in trade events such as BookExpo America, London Book Fair and the Frankfurt Book Fair. Vladimir Grigoriev, FPMC’s deputy head, said this could boost the translation of Russian books into foreign languages. He added that Russian publishers had been struggling with foreign sales since the mid-2000s: “The majority of domestic publishers have been unable to secure their positions in the global book publishing market.”

The government will increase funding of domestic book fairs, exhibitions and contests, with a particular emphasis on competitions for children’s and teenage titles. Money will also be made available to small independent publishers, many of which have found it hard to survive following the economic downturn.

Last year was a brutal one for Russian booksellers and publishers, with sales falling 10.5% year on year to around RUB 67.9bn (£1.43bn). The Russian market has declined from RUB 94bn, or 27%, since 2008. There has also been a steady decline in book production, which in 2012 amounted to 3.5 books per person—almost 18% less than in 2011, and 35% less than in 2008.

Meanwhile, the Russian government is also considering reducing or abolishing VAT charged on books—currently 18% for most trade books and 10% for educational titles—and providing other tax benefits to the sector, while taking a tougher stance against piracy by amending existing anti-counterfeiting legislation.

What the Frick is a Publishing Hackathon?!?!

Maybe my post title is over the top, but that was the question I have been asked time and again, along with why would BEA care or be involved something like a 'Hackathon'.  The real question is why haven't we done this before?  Below are all the details on what happened at the Hackathon this past weekend and how the results will be rolled out at BEA next week.   But before sharing those details, here is why I am so excited to make this part of BEA - it highlights the vast opportunity that exists in publishing today and how technology is the key to the future for this grand old dame of an industry that we all live in and love so much so let's embrace it! 

 

Last weekend 200 developers, designers, and entrepreneurs flocked to The Alley NYC for a 36 hour marathon of experimentation, all to help the world discover great books. Organized by the Perseus Books Group and Librify, and with partners like BEA, New York Public Library, and William Morris Endeavor the first-ever Publishing Hackathon  was unlike any other publishing event I’ve been to yet.

 

After a kickoff panel  to brief the hackers on the challenges surrounding book discovery, the hackers quickly pitched their ideas and formed teams. The space buzzed all night as the teams took over every corner of The Alley and coded.  Tech, publishing, and startup mentors helped the teams improve their ideas and bypass roadblocks.   Barely more than 24 hours after they got started, 30 teams presented their projects to a panel of judges with backgrounds in tech, venture capital, and publishing. Each team had two minutes to pitch their idea followed by a minute to answer judges’ questions

.  

After half an hour of deliberation, the judges selected 6 teams to advance to the finals at BEA and compete for the grand prize. Along with a ticket to BEA, the finalists took home a uniquely awesome handmade Publishing Hackathon Lego trophy. Several prizes for APIs and smaller challenges were also awarded. The energy was great, and in the words of Rick Joyce, CMO of Perseus “Not only were fascinating solutions developed, but there was a lot for a publishing person to learn about the ways content is connected and discovered digitally from these talented designers and coders.”  The excitement will continue at BEA.  

On Friday, May 31 the 6 finalist teams will compete for $10,000 and the opportunity to pitch their idea at a breakfast meeting with Ari Emanuel, Co-CEO of William Morris Endeavor.   The Grand Finale will take place at the Downtown stage of BookExpo America starting at 3PM.  Only one team will emerge victorious.  A panel of superstar judges  including venture capitalists, publishing executives, renowned authors, and titans of the tech world, are tasked with selecting which project best addresses the challenge of discoverability.

Don’t miss out on the chance to watch the Grand Finale of the First-Ever Book Publishing Hackathon.  As only fitting, drinks will follow the event, sponsored by yours truly.

 One team working away

Let the judging begin! I see you Rick Joyce - up front and looking judgmental.

One group of FINALISTS!!