In planning the third annual London Book Fair's Great Debate, co-organizer, Susan Danziger, organizer of The Publishing Point and founder of Ziggeo, said it occurred to her there was one topic in particular that people are thinking and talking about in private, but rarely in public: the role and influence of Amazon on the publishing industry. Is Amazon a friend or foe? That was the question at the heart of this year's debate, which put forth the following resolution: Amazon is a positive influence on the publishing industry.
 
Once again moderated by Copyright Clearance Center's Michael Healy, the debate featured Jennifer 8. Lee, publisher of DailyLit/Plympton and Eoin Purcell, editor of New Island Books and Irish Publishing arguing for the resolution, and Tim Godfray, Chief Executive of the UK Booksellers Association and Robert Levine, author of Free Ride, arguing against. Not surprisingly, audience members who voted in the pre-debate poll needed some convincing: 61 voted that for the resolution that Amazon was a positive influence, while 85 voted against.
 
Purcell began his defense of Amazon by taking on the negative perceptions of Amazon, calling it the "most unfairly maligned company" operating in the book trade at the moment. "Amazon is simply taking advantage of the natural properties of the Internet and digital change," he argued, such as lower costs of distribution, and the lesser needs for a physical location. But while it is a "prime mover" the opportunity it has seized was created not by Amazon, but by the Internet. "So to fear Amazon is to fear the Internet and to fear change."
 
Lee later noted the positives Amazon's innovation has brought to industry. "They are the ones who created a critical mass for digital reading," she said. "They made digital reading mainstream in a way that other Sony and other players before that did not." The company also opened distribution for writers via self-publishing, which has also unleashed a new stream of creativity. And while a lot of self-published material is cringe-worthy, Lee conceded, over time there will be a "a flight to quality," she believes.
 
Purcell also took on Amazon's main fear-inspiring trait: its size, and its power in the nascent e-book business. But, he said, fearing Amazon is pointless. What publishers need to do, is learn from them, and come up with their own, better idea. "Amazon simply acted in a space that was waiting to be acted in." Purcell noted. "And they've been rewarded."
In arguing against Amazon, Godfray agreed there was a lesson to be had about competition. But, he stressed, only to a point. "My contention is that Amazon has got so big, they are not competing, but destroying the competition. Do we really want an environment is which there are virtually no bookstores and far fewer publishers and agents? Because that is really where we''re heading."
 
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