“Publishing 3.0” Shares the Achievements of the Frankfurt Book Fair 2023 at Industry Sharing Session
As a hub for cultural and artistic exchange between China and the rest of the world, Hong Kong has seen a growing interest from local writers and publishers to introduce their books to the international market in order to promote Hong Kong’s culture. The combination of technology and publishing can facilitate the international outreach of locally published Chinese books. The “Publishing 3.0 Hong Kong Smart eBook hub” Scheme (“Publishing 3.0”) integrates publishing and A.I. technology to assist the industry in creating high-quality, internationally marketable smart e-books.
In order to help Hong Kong’s e-books and audio books expand into the international market, “Publishing 3.0” participated in the 2023 “Frankfurt International Book Fair” in October. Dr. Sharon Wong, the Executive Chairman (Executive) of the “Publishing 3.0” project committee and the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Reprographic Rights Licensing Society, shared the outcomes of the participation at an industry sharing session held on November 30, with over 30 representatives from the publishing industry. The attendees responded rather enthusiastically. The Frankfurt Book Fair is one of the largest copyright trading exhibitions globally and is considered one of the most important exhibitions in international book trade. “Publishing 3.0” participated for the first time, promoting the “Hong Kong Smart eBook Hub” to global e-book purchasers/operators, overseas industry associations, publishing representatives, and authors. According to Dr. Wong, some overseas publishers have shown a special interest in Hong Kong stories, cultural heritage, and other related topics in e-books and audio books collection. The industry agrees that e-books and audio books are important trends in the publishing industry and hopes that more local works can break through geographical and language barriers and enter the overseas market.
Dr. Elvin Lee, the Chairman of the “Publishing 3.0” project committee and the Chairman of the Hong Kong Publishing Federation, also stated that over 60 Hong Kong publishers are currently participating in “Publishing 3.0,” and through the project’s “e-book publishing conversion platform,” 858 Chinese printed books from Hong Kong have been successfully converted into over 4,000 Chinese and English e-books, as well as Cantonese, Mandarin, and English audio books. In 2024, “Publishing 3.0” will strive to continue operating the “Hong Kong Smart eBook Library,” opening up more business opportunities for the Hong Kong publishing industry in the international market.
Dr. Wong revealed at the sharing session that in the future, “Publishing 3.0” will continue to optimize conversion technology, including converting simplified Chinese printed books into Cantonese and Mandarin audio books. The working group will also continue to promote the “Hong Kong Smart eBook hub” by participating in various events and book fairs, including the “Learning and Teaching Expo 2023” held on December 15, 2023, the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy in April 2024, and mainland China book fairs, in order to enhance the visibility and influence of the “Hong Kong Smart eBook hub” and help local writers and publishers break into more overseas markets.
Event Highlight: https://youtu.be/OfAIS6kUt0s