Guest Blog: Teens Weigh in on Changes in Publishing, Media

Over the past 3 weeks, I've had the privilege of hosting two summer interns, who are in Boston to participate in the Summer Discovery Program at Northeastern University. After the shock wore off of just how out of touch I've become with teenagers in the decade or so since I was one myself, it became clear that while they were here to learn more about O'Reilly and about media and publishing, O'Reilly (and by extension, other media and publishing companies) have at least as much to learn from them.

As I talked with Elizabeth Spitz and Cristina Sadurni -- both headed into their senior years in high school -- about some of the changes and challenges going on in publishing (particularly around how difficult reaching them has become, especially for newspapers), their comments and feedback were too interesting and insightful not to share, so as part of their internship, I asked them to write this guest blog. What follows is in their own words.

In today's fast-paced world, it seems to be getting far more difficult to engage teenagers in reading books, as opposed to text messaging and quick online chats. Only highly anticipated books such as Harry Potter have been able to do the job, so what makes them so different? It isn't just the text that draws in the thousands of readers, but the widespread variety of other entertainment concepts such as movies and collectibles. Although it may be disappointing to older generations, the truth is that teens today are less inclined to read books because of the vast amount and popularity of these other sources of entertainment. It is the advanced technology teens have access to today that distracts them from using books as a way of entertainment. This concept is one that media companies must accept in order to continue their success.

As high school students, we know that reading is the key to knowledge and understanding. Unfortunately, it is difficult for people our age to embrace that when there are so many other resources that provide the same information-- and happen to be both easier to access and free. In the case of the Harry Potter series, Jeff Gomez discusses this specific situation on Print is Dead:

What's also interesting is what Stanford education professor Michael Kamil has to say on the subject of kids spending their time online: "You have to be careful when you say kids are reading less. It doesn't mean they are incapable of reading. It means they choose to do other things instead." This is of course key, and should not be undervalued.

Jeff further discusses how the engagement of teens in reading isn't declining but changing sources, and this shouldn't be looked down upon. Another important point Jeff raises is the variety of reasons why people read:

[for example] reading for literary experience, reading for information, and reading to perform a task. According to Benson's article, "Kamil believes that 'reading for literary experience' has been overemphasized and that today 'reading for information' is the most crucial skill." So just because kids won't be picking up those paperbacks of the "great classics" that nourished previous generations, all hope is not lost.

This view continues to exemplify the overreaction to the current decline in book sales. Just because less bound books are being read there is no need to jump to the conclusion that teens aren't reading.

Other than in bookstores, where in the world are teenagers like us notified when a book comes out that we might be interested in? When comparing movie studios and book publishers, billboards and posters used to promote movies are seen all over cities, therefore individuals with different interests will all see the same movie promotion. On the other hand, the majority of book promotions are seen only in specific book stores, or maybe in the Books section of a newspaper, which makes it understandable why movies are more popular than books. One great example of this situation would be the award-winning movie The Notebook. Only after the movie gained widespread recognition did the book see sales increased because of its new audience. The promotion given to the movie was much greater than that of the book itself, further proving how movie studios invest more money into their projects than publishers, which can pay off big in the end. While searching the web for statistics on the number of teens who saw the Harry Potter movies compared to the number of book readers, we found that others have the same opinion:

it's a very palpable peer pressure thing that the movie companies started seeding last December and haven't stopped fanning since. In addition to the trailers that they've seen for months in the movie theaters, almost all the stuff about Harry Potter you see on the TV right now is directed at hyping the movie and increasing the excitement. Scholastic might put a few plugs for the book here and there, but it's nothing compared with the movie hype.

Children growing up today are used to being able find the answer to any question without leaving the house -- and sometimes without even getting up. Although this may suggest laziness, we are probably reading more than ever because of how much information is currently on the internet. The issue of free internet services vs. pricey books raises understandable concerns among book publishers, although many (like O'Reilly's Safari Books Online) are making the transition to online books.

The idea in the minds of many teens is that everything is a "click away". Sites like Facebook and MySpace have brought together millions of people with common interests from all over the world. Not only do they provide a place to meet others, these sites allow their members to interact and share opinions while gaining a support group they feel comfortable in. Organizations have begun to take part in these websites by introducing open groups that share concerns and find ways to fix them. It isn't uncommon for these associations to raise money or even organize fundraisers and campaigns . This proves that our generation does have an interest in reading about important topics but must be approached in the right way. Furthermore, there are some companies that have recently noticed the accessibility and power of Facebook and are using it to connect their employees in new ways and new networks.

Publishers and other media companies can learn from how effective sites like this can be even for professionals as to contact one another and stay updated. They can take advantage of this by marketing special interest books to small groups of people, and not try to sell a special interest book over the mass media channels where only a very small percentage of people will have any interest at all. Facebook has a great feature where an individual is alerted when something occurs concerning a group they are a part of. This concept is one that shows an effective way to target any special interest group including separate departments in companies. An important reason to make all of these changes to our business world is because teens like us will be the next working generation, and it's imperative that the workplace is ready for our fast-paced and internet-based work style.

As high school students with busy lives, going to a bookstore is just not part of our schedule. It isn't that we don't want to read, but with schoolwork, sports, and personal life, not enough time is left open to both find interesting books, as well as read them. Understanding different generations like ours is the key to making the age differences less obvious. It isn't that we need to look at how to alter the teenage generation, but to find ways to get involved and look for a way to show teens what companies like O'Reilly have to offer. It is the companies facing change that must mold to the world their future customers are now creating, not the other way around.

Elizabeth Spitz is entering her senior year at Fox Lane High School in New York, and is a member of the National Art Honor Society and a member of the varsity cheerleading squad.

Cristina Sadurni is entering her senior year at Colegio Puertorriqueño de Niñas in Puerto Rico, where she's the Student Council Vice President, a member of the National Honor Society, and plays on the soccer team.