At the United Kingdom’s Publishers Association’s annual meeting, from left, are Dan Conway; Mandy Hill: and Catriona MacLeod Stevenson. Image: PA, Alistair Veryard Photography
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
Update: On Wednesday (May 7), the House of Commons rejected the amendment to the Data Bill which would have compelled generative AI firms to reveal each individual work used to train their large language models. The bill was passed without the amendment and returns to the House of Lords (where the baroness Beegan Kidron created the amendment) for a vote on Monday (May 12).
‘The Way Forward’
This week, the world’s two largest English-language markets’ publishers associations are holding their annual meetings, with today’s event (May 7) being the United Kingdom’s Publishers Association gathering in London at the Royal Society, and Thursday’s event (May 8) being a digitally presented program from the Association of American Publishers in Washington.
As it would happen, the “main event”—as many of us not based in the British industry see it—has been today’s UK Parliament’s “Data (Use and Access) Bill” reaching the “report stage” in the House of Commons. The bill is carrying much of the government’s deeply contested AI policy proposal and its anticipated impact on the UK’s copyright regime.
“The way forward for the government remains clear,” the Publishers Association’s CEO Dan Conway says in a statement provided to Publishing Perspectives.
“Legislate for transparency requirements now, consult on how to supercharge tech and creative industries’ partnerships through licensing, and simply move on from the polarizing red-herring that is copyright reform.”
‘Publishing and Soft Power’: ‘Support and Expertise’
At its annual general meeting, the association’s presidency, as planned, was transferred to Mandy Hill, who is managing director at Cambridge University Press and Assessment. Hill succeeds Perminder Mann, Simon & Schuster UK’s CEO for international, which includes the publisher’s Australian and Indian divisions.
“There’s never been a more important time to champion the values of publishing.“Mandy Hill
“In assuming the association’s presidency today, Hill said, “I’m excited to be taking up the role of president of the Publishers Association.
“There’s never been a more important time to champion the values of publishing. It’s essential that we showcase publishing’s contribution to the UK’s soft power, and that we advocate that tech companies adhere to copyright law and license the works they wish to use.”
Conway said, “I’m very much looking forward to working with Mandy over the next year. She’s been an incredible support to the Publishers Association and I know she’ll be a brilliant advocate for the industry in her role as president.”
Rebecca Sinclair, Penguin Random House UK’s chief brand officer, has been made vice-president and treasurer of the Publishers Association.
The ‘Soft Power’ Angle
Most of the output from the meeting has to do with the official release of the association’s Publishing and Soft Power study. It it’s ringing a bell, some findings of it were released at the time of London Book Fair in March, and this is among the association’s latest efforts to bolster the book industry’s standing among policymakers and members of the public.
For the research information being released today (March 9), the polling consultancy Public First surveyed 609 such “international adults” and 2,009 other adults in the United Kingdom doing the research online between February 7 and 27.
An executive summary of high points indicates that the researchers found their respondents saying that British literature and academic research are integral to the UK’s international reputation. Eighty percent of international adults who participated in the survey said they believe that British literature positively contributes toward the country’s international reputation, and 80 percent said the same about British academic research. This was higher than these respondents said for British music (73 percent), sports and athletics (72 percent), or business and economic influence (57 percent).
Several mentions are being made about Jane Austen being a strong draw for the West Country city of Bath, particularly as the 250th anniversary of her birth falls on December 16.
The study’s executive summary highlights a finding that “the UK’s publishing sector plays a significant role in boosting international and domestic tourism. The country’s literary tourism market is “projected,” although it may not be made clear by whom, to rise from £1.7 billion in 2024 (US$2.3 billion) to £2.1 billion by 2030 (US$2.8 billion)—almost a 25-perdcent increase.
More than half the participating UK adults (51 percent) and of 54 percent of the participating international adults told researchers that that they’d been inspired to visit UK locations because of their connection to literature.
And in the home market, the survey found that “British literature is a source of significant national pride. Eighty-three percent of UK adults responding to the study’s questions said they see British literature as integral to national identity.
Seventy-seven percent said they take pride in the fact that the UK is one of the largest exporters of books and journals worldwide, whereas 87 percent said they agree that British authors and publishers should be supported to succeed.
In positioning the study today, Conway said, “We in the industry have long known the value that publishing brings to the UK.
“So it’s great to see this report clearly articulate the role that publishing plays in attracting tourism, students, and contributing to international cultural and academic collaboration. As the government develops its soft power strategy, the industry is ready to offer our support and expertise.”
More from Publishing Perspectives on the Publishers Association is here; more on artificial intelligence is here; more on copyright and international book publishing is here; and more on the United Kingdom’s book business is here.