Simba Information

Currently moving onto an online platform, professional book publications, which generate $13.91 billion in revenue annually, are confronting mounting losses from digital piracy.

After losing sales in 2009 due to contracted library budgets and decreased exports, professional book publishing, which includes the legal, medical, business, scientific and technical fields, has nearly regained its 2008 position.

Significant growth in the digital textbook and course material market, along with textbook rental programs, is defining the growing higher education publishing market for 2011.

Professional journal revenues fell in 2009; but with a recovering economy, stable renewals, price increases, new product offerings from publishers and a slight improvement in advertising, journals have managed to bounce back.

Recent revenue declines in trade book publishing and retailing may be due to industry giants jumping into new tech platforms and e-reading devices without considering the consequences.

Online revenues are experiencing double-digit growth exceeding 20% despite declining print revenues in metropolitan areas for yellow page publishers.

With the economy expected to slowly recover, Simba Information projects sales in the combined STM markets to finish the year slightly ahead of 2009 results.

The ordinance is an effort to reduce municipal waste as more print distribution services move to a cheaper online format. However, the print version will still be distributed to businesses, schools and community centers.

Yellow page publishers have shifted heavily into online advertising since recovering from bankruptcy in 2009, doubling online revenue growth in just four years, according to Simba Information.

With the bankruptcies primarily in the past and stronger companies emerging with new names, less debt and a new focus, the yellow pages industry now faces a brighter future. However, there are still many challenges.