Culture research “making shipping costs for large online platforms mandatory” | Culture | EUROtoday

The Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, assured at the moment Thursday that he’s learning “making shipping costs mandatory for delivery online of the large platforms so that it is not free.” The measure, announced during an interview on Cadena Ser on the occasion of Book Day, is placed within the framework of a series of measures that the Government is considering to protect independent neighborhood bookstores from colossi like Amazon.

“There is more and more purchasing online and the share of independent bookstores has been reduced a little,” said Urtasun. Neighborhood establishments continue to be the main channel for purchasing books, according to the survey of cultural habits published by the ministry itself, followed by large chains and digital platforms. Even so, the main entity that brings together bookstores, Cegal, is studying how to solve the most alarming fact that emerged at its last congress: 49.4% of the printed titles available in each bookstore in Spain does not sell a single exemplary throughout a year. Every day at least 27 literary novelties are launched aimed at the commercial circuit.

Urtasun recalled that small bookstores have “direct aid” from his ministry and has claimed their added worth: “Buying a book in a small bookstore will never be the same as the purchasing experience.” on-lineas a result of they’ll advise you, you possibly can talk about with the bookseller…“.

The minister has additionally outlined the studying knowledge recorded for the reason that pandemic as “absolutely record”, and recalled that in Spain “especially women and young people read.” In actuality, in comparison with 2019, the speed of the inhabitants that reads not less than one e book a yr has decreased: from 65.8% to 64.9%. On the one hand, a 3rd of residents learn each week. On the opposite hand, one in 10 says that they immediately don’t prefer it. And half of the households (48.8%) have lower than 50. Reading stays, nonetheless, the fourth cultural exercise that arouses probably the most curiosity in residents, behind music, audiovisual content material and cinema, in line with ministry knowledge.