Who reads books anymore?

[Kiki5435]

Saw this story on CNN
and thought it might be of interest to people here - obviously we are all readers!

It's not easy getting people to care about books.

Thursday, a small contingent gathered in front of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's building in downtown Atlanta, a couple blocks from CNN Center, to host a "read-in." The paper has decided to eliminate its book editor position and the activists want to show that books -- and readers -- matter. (The episode has received national coverage.)

So a handful of people quietly read books in front of AJC headquarters while others, standing in front of a poster saying "Save the Book Review" and a display of titles (Walker Percy's "Love in the Ruins," "Romeo and Juliet," Langston Hughes) praised AJC Book Editor Teresa Weaver and talked about why the paper was making a bad decision.

"The problem is, they're not making enough money, and this is easy to give up," said Vivian Lawand, a veteran Atlanta bookseller.

The paper says it will continue to have book coverage. "We will continue to use freelancers, established news services and our staff to provide stories about books of interest to our readers and the local literary community," spokeswoman Mary Dugenske told The New York Times.

The AJC isn't alone in its rethinking. The Times recently ran a piece about newspapers cutting back on book coverage. There's not enough advertising money, the thinking goes, and readers are gravitating online anyway and getting their book information from blogs and Amazon reviews. (I won't even go into all the questions surrounding the publishing business.)

But I'm not so sure cutting newspaper book coverage is the way to go.

I'll admit I'm biased -- in many ways. I don't know Weaver personally, but we have several friends in common; I subscribe to two newspapers (and several magazines); I'm in two book groups, one online and the other face-to-face; I like to see good writers succeed; and, of course, I oversee the entertainment and media page for a large news organization and I like to keep up with the field.

But at bottom, it's for a selfish reason: I read books. Lots of books. It's not just for my job. I love reading in general, and I know when I die I'll still have shelves -- cases -- of books I never got to. ("TBR stacks," my online group calls them -- "to be read" ... eventually.) I like books and I like reading about books, and Amazon and blogs aren't enough.

I fear I'm in the minority. How many people read books anymore, anyway? I'd like to think that book readers matter -- particularly to newspapers -- but it's not like the AJC's front steps were overflowing with demonstrators Thursday morning. The paper would probably get more protesting if it canceled "Mary Worth."

 

[Lincoln Rhyme]

I'm 16,and really started to read when I was 13(Thanks James Patterson,even though you suck now.) There is only 7 people at my school that I know love to read. It's sad .

 

[Will]

I wouldn't worry too much, I think this is more about declining newspaper readership than actually decline in people reading books.

This forum is kind of a testament to the perfect nature of the online community and online sites for reviews and discussions about books. Also, the advertising spend will be down in a harsh economy as this, especially in an area such as books where margins are very tight for many publishers. As a knock-on, with so many authors out there now doing self promotion online and in person, it's just another reason as to how easy it is to reign in budget spend that might otherwise go in newspapers or other media.

 

[Eva]

If the demonstrators cited books like Romeo and Juliet, I think they've lost perspective. The next Shakespeare won't live or die by the number of full-time book editors.

 

[Scalper]

I read books almost every day, be it fiction or text books.

I'm doing my best to motivate my children to read, if I'm successful doing so, the world will have two additional readers.

 

[Heteronym]

This community and others that I frequent are the living proof that many people read. I don't see the problem here: a newspaper has paying a book editor? What is a newspaper book editor anyway?

What I know is that I don't get my information from newspapers. I read, I follow advices from writers, a title piques my attention, a friend recommends me something. Isn't that how it always works? What do I need a newspaper for? To continue the illusion that some still care about reading? I've lost that illusion a long time ago.

 

[kaye]

when i was eleven i was crazy about books. so in our family everybody reads..

 

[morgani]

I wouldn't worry too much, I think this is more about declining newspaper readership than actually decline in people reading books.

This forum is kind of a testament to the perfect nature of the online community and online sites for reviews and discussions about books. Also, the advertising spend will be down in a harsh economy as this, especially in an area such as books where margins are very tight for many publishers. As a knock-on, with so many authors out there now doing self promotion online and in person, it's just another reason as to how easy it is to reign in budget spend that might otherwise go in newspapers or other media.

You know, going by that thinking, it would soon be apparent that we don't need printed newspapers. If you can take a kindle to the john, then you can certainly have newspapers delivered in e-ink. Just a thought.

If they think this way, they are endangering their own business. Cutting down on book coverage, it would soon follow that they would have to cut down on other sections as well.

the general consensus is that the lack of advertising money coming in, justifies it? Well, it really doesn't.