Panorama Project Releases Immersive Media & Books 2020 Research Report
Study offers guidance to publishers, authors and librarians based on consumer data for discovery and engagement of books, and the impact of movies, TV and video games
NEW YORK, Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Panorama Project, a cross-industry publishing initiative, released today Immersive Media & Books 2020, a comprehensive market study that gauges the role of books and consumer engagement by age groups, ethnicity, and more. This report contains survey data from 4,300+ pre-qualified respondents and was authored by Dr. Rachel Noorda and Dr. Kathi Inman-Berens, faculty members of the Portland State University graduate program in Book Publishing.
Data collection and analysis for Immersive Media & Books 2020 were conducted in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and represent Panorama Project's ongoing commitment to research. The report is rich with data, including graphs and tables to illustrate provocative findings that will stimulate discourse between publishers, authors, librarians, booksellers, thought leaders, advocacy groups and the media.
A few select findings include:
- Avid book engagers (4+ books/month) are more ethnically diverse and younger than the general survey population.
- Demographics for the industry to watch are Black and Latinx, millennials and men.
- Readers of audiobooks and ebooks are multitasking (70% for audiobooks, 61% for eBooks).
- Book "pirates" are also customers: 41% of book pirates not only buy books, they also buy the same book in multiple formats.
- Libraries, bookstores, and online channels mutually reinforce each other, leading to engagement and sales.
"Immersive Media & Books 2020 is the first-of-its-kind study to examine consumer engagement with books alongside consumption of television, movies, and video games," explained Dr. Rachel Noorda, director of the graduate program in Book Publishing at Portland State University. "We uncovered multiple sales opportunities for publishers and authors who can benefit from those groups that are buying more books in all formats. These include millennials and Black and LatinX communities, all of whom represent a greater proportion of Avid Book Engagers than the general survey population."
With financial support from OverDrive, the Book Industry Study Group, the American Library Association and the Independent Book Publishers Association, the Panorama Project commissioned Portland State University's Dr. Rachel Noorda and Dr. Kathi Inman-Berens to design and conduct the study and author the resulting report.
Methodology for the survey and the research questions were developed with guidance from industry leaders who serve on Panorama Project's Research Committee. Qualtrics hosted the survey and recruited over 4300 respondents. Drs. Noorda and Inman-Berens ensured equitable representation of demographic groups by region (USA only), race/ethnicity, gender, and age. The project was approved by Portland State University's Institutional Review Board on Human Ethics.
Daniel Albohn, Project Lead for The Panorama Project, emphasized that "We invite everyone, particularly those who have a vested interest in books, to read our report. The data and findings are compelling. We encourage feedback as we look to improve our methodology, expand upon the survey questions, and uncover new findings to inform and benefit publishing's constituencies."
The Panorama Project invites all industry stakeholders including consumers to join our inaugural webinar on March 10, 2021 during which the authors will unveil their findings and recommendations from Immersive Media & Books 2020. Registration is now open here.
About the Panorama Project
The Panorama Project is a cross-industry, data-informed research initiative focused on understanding the impact of library holdings on book discovery, author brand development, and sales. It is guided by an Advisory Council including representatives from Penguin Random House, Sourcebooks, Open Road Media, American Library Association, Audio Publishers Association, NISO, OverDrive and Ingram Content Group. Please share comments, recommendations and other feedback about Immersive Media & Books 2020 directly with Daniel Albohn at [email protected].
Contact:
Daniel Albohn
Project Lead
[email protected]
SOURCE Panorama Project; OverDrive
Share this article