“The Hungarian book market has reached a crossroads,” he says in his discussion paper published on April 28 the Open Books Publishing House. THE Hungary reads – Situation report and vision of the domestic book market in the document entitled, they express their hope that the change of government will significantly affect domestic culture and thus the book industry. The text highlights the complexity of the book industry’s crisis and the fact that changing one element of the situation is not enough in itself. It also offers decision-makers a vision. According to him, funding culture and educating readers is not a favor, but one of the most profitable investments in the national economy.
“We believe that the monopolistic entanglement of the book trade and book publishing is not only a serious mistake, but also a crime committed against readers. Good books are born only in freedom and independence. We do not compromise on this, and neither do our authors,” read the publisher’s discussion paper. They also emphasize that it is important to talk about the changes affecting the book profession because book publishing and trade are inseparable from the maintenance of reading culture, which contributes to critical thinking and a democratic public. “Perhaps it is not an exaggeration to say that a functioning and healthy book publishing and trade is a national interest,” states the text published by Open Books.
Monopoly and vulnerability
The document points out that although book industry revenues have increased due to inflation in recent years, actual copies sold and printed have fallen to record lows. The main problem is the extreme market concentration, i.e. the previous merger of Libri-Bookline, then the liquidation of the competition between the book trade and publishing side within the company group, the confusion of market and regulatory will, the 27 percent VAT on digital books, the failed binding book price lawas well as the deteriorating tendencies of the willingness to read are named. About all this we wrote more here.
They highlight that the main structural tension of the domestic book market is caused by the unprecedented level of vertical integration and the distorted role of the state. As the most urgent point of their package of proposals, they therefore name the immediate restoration of healthy market conditions and the elimination of the monopoly situation.
The discussion paper states that the acquisition of Libri-Bookline by Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) “created a situation in which the previous business-based monopoly was combined with political and ideological centralization. The market-leading distributor-publisher, supported by the state’s regulatory will, created a systemically incompatible situation that led to the distortion of competition for shelf space and the vulnerability of independent book publishers. led.”
This is how the book market can be renewed
The text not only provides a diagnosis, but also offers a comprehensive, data-based set of recommendations based on international good practices, with the aim of building a resilient, diverse and innovative market by 2030. They are convinced that to restore clean market competition, it is essential to redefine the role of the state. For this, the competition supervision of large market players or at least the legally guaranteed separation of commercial and publishing functions is absolutely necessary. The document emphasizes that in order to create fair competition, the current fixed book price law needs to be fine-tuned, or even its complete elimination may be justified.
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- In addition to the depoliticized, performance-based reform of the National Cultural Fund (NKA), the package of proposals proposes a radical, inflation-tracking increase in public library and school procurement frameworks and linking them to mandatory domestic quotas.
- He believes that the distribution of Hungarian books abroad can be professionalized by setting up a new, value-based institutional system and targeted translation support.
- In addition to the industry framework, the proposal also outlines a comprehensive National Reading Development Strategy that spans educational and cultural portfolios.
- They also add that in education, the modernization of the literary canon of the National Basic Curriculum (NAT) cannot be postponed, with a stronger inclusion of contemporary works and skill-building publications.
As the main guarantee of the practical implementation of the broad package of proposals and the purification of the market, Open Books proposes the creation of a new Chamber of Book Professionals. An alternative to this could be the complete renewal of the current professional organization, the Association of Hungarian Book Publishers and Book Distributors, freeing it from distorted market structures, and the establishment of a Permanent Book Strategy Roundtable with the participation of the current government and independent workshops.
The full text by clicking here is available.
Representatives of several segments of culture spoke already after the elections. The Hungarian Theater Company is a cultural organization consisting of more than a hundred points compiled a package of proposalsa actors of fine arts life they expect less MMA and more independence after the change of government, the Independent Performing Arts Association in his statement called on Attila Vidnyánszky to leave, the professional Association of Szépírók Társaság calls for dialogue with the future Tisza government, and the presidency of MKKE (Hungarian Könyvkiadók és Könyvertejsztok Egyesylésé), similar to the discussion paper of Open Books, the repeal of the Book Act raised.
