Audiobooks are on the rise, promoting digital transformation in the publishing industry

The digital transformation process in Vietnam has created a new habit for modern book readers - the habit of "listening to books". Online book platforms such as Waka, Voiz FM, Fonos... are now becoming familiar and increasingly suitable for the busy, vibrant lifestyle of young book lovers.

The three largest e-book and audiobook platforms alone reached 25 million readers in 2022. In 2022, e-books grew by nearly 50% compared to the previous year. Publishers also made strong moves in this trend, led by the Information and Communication Publishing House or the Youth Publishing House. Currently, the number of publishers registered for e-publishing activities is 15 out of a total of 57 publishers.

Ms. Khuc Thi Hoa Phuong, Director of Vietnam Women's Publishing House, said that from books with only text to audiobooks, e-books have now entered the third generation, which is a combination of text, sound and illustrations. The level of e-book production in Vietnam is currently considered to be not inferior to the world . AI artificial intelligence technology is deeply involved in all stages, from cover design, language format conversion to reading voice.

However, to do business with e-books, also known as ebooks, businesses need to have their own business system that is completely different from the model of paper books.

In particular, the technology platform is the prerequisite, requiring a lot of investment in costs, human resources and time. This is the biggest difficulty, according to many experts, it is necessary to consider solutions that must be shared and cooperated between small publishers and large publishers that already have a platform.

Ms. Khuc Thi Hoa Phuong, Director of Vietnam Women's Publishing House.

According to Ms. Hoa Phuong, thanks to smartphones, book lovers from rural to urban areas, from lowlands to highlands, from children to the elderly can all access reading culture.

If 2-3 years ago, publishers were still indifferent to e-publishing, then in 2022, 19/57 publishers, accounting for 33.3% of the total number of publishers, registered for electronic publishing and distribution (an increase of 72.7%). The number of e-publishing has increased and the revenue from audiobooks reaching 100 billion is an impressive number.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the growth rate of the e-publishing industry is quite high in 2022, with 3,200 e-books published and about 4 million users.

This impressive number has been creating more motivation for publishers. However, it also creates many challenges, especially in terms of technology, business models and service products... which must be more and more meticulous, of higher quality, and meet copyright issues, thereby creating a breakthrough for the publishing industry, helping the digital transformation of the book industry become stronger and more successful.

In 2020, for the first time, Vietnam Book Day was held entirely online, on the e-commerce platform book365.vn of the Ministry of Information and Communications . That year's online book fair recorded nearly 2 million views, including 6,000 book orders and more than 10,000 books delivered to readers.

By 2021, Book365.vn also recorded more than 40,000 books delivered to readers with the support of nearly 100 units; Reading promotion program with sponsorship of more than 30,000 books with 50-90% subsidy for readers in remote areas.

Since 2020, the Ministry of Information and Communications has assigned the Department of Publishing, Printing and Distribution to develop the industry's development strategy. In which, digital transformation has become one of the seven key solutions of the publishing industry. The Department has developed a roadmap for digital transformation of the publishing industry and required each publishing unit to develop its own digital transformation roadmap.

To transform digitally, there must be awareness and change in awareness from the leaders of publishers, those responsible for the development of the unit. In addition, there must be human resources that meet the requirements and a legal corridor to ensure both development and safety.

Thus, digital transformation is not just the story of the Department of Publishing, Printing and Distribution, but the joint efforts of many units, from state management agencies, publishing and distribution units, technology research experts, and companies that research and provide technology applications for publishing.

Building a reading culture is a destination for the publishing industry. And digital transformation is a promising opportunity for the publishing sector to innovate, create, and operate effectively. However, challenges in technology platforms, changing reading habits, and market competition… require the entire industry to have timely and appropriate strategies to create a stronger breakthrough.

That is to complete the legal system to soon increase the number of units allowed to publish e-books; to eradicate illegal sharing of ebooks, audiobooks, social networks...

Trang Linh

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