Vietnamese publishing houses are gradually digitally transforming to survive and develop, an inevitable trend of all industries, according to industry insiders. The Director of the Authority of Publication, Printing, and Distribution, under the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC), recently said digital transformation was crucial for the development of the publishing industry but is not the end of the printed book.
Despite the increase of e-book publications, the number of printed books has not decreased. “Books, as we know them, will not disappear and will never, ever be replaced by information on the screen because they are used in our leisure time and the main tool for our education,” he said.
A news report quoted Le Hoang, Vice President of the Vietnam Publishing Association, saying that the digital transformation in the publishing industry was an inevitable trend of development. Digital transformation in publishing activities has many advantages due to the ubiquity of Internet-connected electronic devices. However, the e-book market still poses great challenges for local publishers due to the poor reading culture in Vietnam, the Director claimed.
Advanced technology infrastructure is also key to boosting e-publishing and meeting the increasing demand for e-books. Publishers need to rapidly upgrade their information technology infrastructures to provide easier access to e-books.
Hoang said digital transformation always has two sides; as technology developed, illegal activities based on technology platforms have also increased, posing great challenges to publishers. To solve this problem, authorities needed to conduct effective solutions and use sanctions for copyright infringement. To promote digital transformation in publishing activities, publishers must change their perception, he said.
In terms of management, the Authority of Publication, Printing, and Distribution will study and create laws to develop the publishing, printing, and distribution industry in a professional and modern manner by working towards digital transformation.
According to the Authority of Publication, Printing, and Distribution, due to the impact of COVID-19, the revenue of publishers sharply declined against 2019. The number of publishers participating in electric publishing has risen but the number of electronic publications has reduced.
Last year, publishing houses in the country released 36,218 publications, down 2.4% to 403.5 million copies. Printed books accounted for 32,158 copies, down 2% to 363 million copies. Meanwhile, 2,050 e-books were also published down 14.6% and hitting 1.5 million views.
The country also launched the 2021 National Online Book Festival on 17 April. It will be held till 15 May, with a variety of activities nationwide in response to Vietnam Book Day. In preparation for the festival, all technological platforms have been readied to serve readers. Numerous exchange activities and forums will take place on the official web portal.
This is the second year the National Online Book Festival was held with the theme, “Bringing books to everywhere”. The National Online Book Festival is expected to serve over 60% of readers in many localities outside Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The organising board also aims to attract over 100 publishing houses and units around the country, have a minimum of 10 million hits, and offer 10,000 book titles for sale.
