At the Doha Book Fair.. Publishers Track the Challenges of the Arabic Publishing Industry

SadaNews - In the corridors of the Doha International Book Fair, 520 publishing houses from 37 countries are spread across 919 pavilions, amidst a wide turnout of visitors and a packed program of cultural activities.

A survey of the opinions of several participating publishers regarding the reality of the Arabic publishing industry and its current challenges.

However, this wide participation does not obscure the challenges faced by publishers in an era where competition has moved beyond publishing houses to include digital tools that compete with books for the reader's attention. Ihab Mohamed, sales manager at Jadawel Publishing, Translation, and Distribution, tells Al Jazeera Net that "the printed book remains resilient despite the expansion of digital alternatives, because a segment of readers does not replace the paper experience with any alternative," noting that Arab book fairs remain a living testament to this continuous presence.

Artificial Intelligence: Between Assistance and Competition

The impact of technology extends beyond publishers' concerns to the reading habits of readers themselves; algorithms are no longer just search tools but have become intermediaries that read user inclinations and open up knowledge horizons that were previously outside their interest.

Mohamed Mustafa, the director of Dunn Publishing and Distribution from Egypt, argues that social media and artificial intelligence have reshaped the interests of the Arab reader, explaining to Al Jazeera Net that readers "have become more capable of exploring different reading fields," which he sees as more of an opportunity than a threat.

However, there is a deeper challenge that affects the essence of writing itself; with the growing capabilities of artificial intelligence in composing, from mimicking the styles of great writers to maintaining narrative consistency over hundreds of pages, distinguishing between some human and machine-generated texts has become more complex.

Mahmoud Abdel Nabi, from Ibeidi Publishing in Egypt, acknowledges that some writers have begun to rely on it, confirming that serious publishing houses have mechanisms to detect that. However, he does not see technology as an existential threat, considering that it still cannot fully replicate the creative sensibility of the writer, as human writing remains a product of experience and imagination, not merely the result of digital commands.

Taste Transformations

On the other side of the scene, the choices of the Arab reader on the shelves are changing; reading is no longer, for wide sectors, a purely cognitive act but has become a tool for keeping up with generations seeking answers to workforce questions and contemporary challenges, while social media platforms have opened windows to cultures that were previously unavailable.

Ahmed Al-Radi, director of Scientific Books Publishing from Iraq, points out to Al Jazeera Net the increasing interest of Arab readers in translated books, especially on topics of management, skills, and simplified sciences, affirming that there is, conversely, a decline in the demand for some traditional religious and historical publications, along with direct education books, as digital learning alternatives expand.

Production and Marketing Challenges

The problems of the industry do not stop at the boundaries of technology and taste, but extend to the publishing kitchen itself; publishing houses now find themselves facing a perplexing equation between text quality and the presence of its author, in an era where an author's fame is not solely dependent on the quality of their texts, but is also linked to their presence on social media and the relationship they weave with their followers.

When it comes to selecting manuscripts, Mohamed Al-Baali, director and founder of Sefsafah Publishing and Distribution in Egypt, places quality as the top priority, especially in creative works. Meanwhile, the digital presence of the writer may add value to works targeting a wide audience, before concluding that "in the end, the type of book is the deciding factor."

Alongside production challenges and changing tastes, the issue of marketing remains a challenge in its own right; it now requires navigating a crowded digital environment where hundreds of platforms compete for the reader's attention before the book reaches them.

Dr. Nasir Al-Kaabi, director of the Academic Research Center in Iraq, confirms that the greater burden of promoting the book falls on the publisher through its traditional channels in libraries and fairs. He points out that AI tools now allow for a more precise understanding of the recipient's interests and the timing of their engagement, affirming that the name of a well-known author has an additional impact when promoting their book through their audience.

Moreover, the publishing industry faces a challenge no less severe than previous ones; the economic figures now dictate the rhythm of the industry just as intellectual visions do, amid ongoing disruptions in supply chains and a sharp rise in production and shipping costs, squeezing the publisher's profit margin day by day.

Walid Mustafa, director of the National Center for Legal Publications in Egypt, states that the publishing industry is facing a compounded pressure, as production input costs have jumped five-fold, with shipping costs escalating due to regional tensions. He adds: "Cultural books remain lower in priority, yet we continue to try."

Source: Al Jazeera