A lone quote from Stephen King, that well known British cultural icon, was another acknowledgement that books do exist, with the worrying subtext that British has to import books from America because our own authors aren’t quite up to the job.
So Britain has a new vision for the “creative industries sector”. Some UK publishing spokesfolk are putting a brave face on it, despite the fact that publishing barely rates a mention.
A single photo of the London Book Fair acknowledges books do exist in the world of culture – or maybe it was an error and will be replaced in future editions by a picture of games console or a TV screen.
A lone quote from Stephen King, that well known British cultural icon, was another acknowledgement that books do exist, with the worrying subtext that Britain has to import books from America because our own authors aren’t quite up to the job.
Prime Minister Sunak’s introduction to the glossy brochure report makes passing reference to childhood stories we may once have read. The idea that adults might read seems quite beyond his comprehension. After all, there is Eurovision and games and TV and…
The creative industries are a true British success story, from global music stars like Adele and Ed Sheeran to world-class cultural institutions like the National Theatre. These industries have a special place in our national life and make a unique contribution to how we feel about ourselves as a country. You can see it in events like Eurovision, shows like Life of Pi, or games like Football Manager.
Well, it’s good to know the British PM has his finger on the pulse. Although the pulse of what is not clear.
Sad to see Publishers Association CEO Dan Conway applauding this side-lining of British publishing as something positive.
The Sector Vision and the further investment announced by the government is a testament to what the future holds for the creative industries, and the benefits this will bring to the UK.
Perhaps Dan can tell us how many times in this 60 page report publishing even gets a mention, let alone any indication is it going to receive support from the government. And why an American author was needed to represent British publishing interests at all.
