Amazon More a Threat to Publishers Than Google

Reuters reports that Amazon is seen as a larger threat to the print publishing industry than Google. HarperCollins UK’s CEO, Victoria Barnsley said, “We all want to talk about Google, but personally I see Amazon as a bigger threat because Amazon has shown a lot of signs that they actually want to move into the publishing space.” They are now considering leaving Amazon and creating their own online distribution service, direct to the consumer. She did, in regards to Google, “I do think that search — which is what Google is about — is going to transform our industry. I think it’s the most exciting that’s happened.” That is why they want to keep an open “dialogue” with Google at all times.