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Book review of Elisa Tattersall Wallin (2022) Sound reading. Exploring and conceptualising audiobook practices among young adults, Doctoral Thesis University of Borås, Faculty of Librarianship, Information, Education and IT

This article explores streaming across the cultural industries, drawing on 39 interviews with CEO/top-level industry executives working in the Norwegian music, film, television, and book industries. We examine two broad questions: What dokey industry players see as the main opportunities and challenges of streaming?To what extent do industry players compare with and learn from other industries when making sense of, and seeking solutions to, the main challenges? Drawing on theories of media industry logics and industry lore, the article identifi es a collective understanding of turmoil and uncertainty. While informants across industries formsimilar notions about the impact of streaming and emphasise the need to learn from other industries, solutions to challenges are typically sought within industryspecific frames. Our findings suggest that even if streaming is a cross-industrial trend, strategies are based on industry-specific logics and notions.

Den norske bokbransjen er støttet og regulert gjennom en rekke litteraturpolitiske virkemidler. Disse settes nå under press grunnet endringer relatert til den digitale litteraturens utbredelse, nye aktørers inntog i markedet og omseggripende endringer i tilstøtende politikkområder og i samfunnet forøvrig. Det er langvarige og gode ordninger for bransjen til å påvirke politikken gjennom den korporative påvirkningskanalen. Samtidig vil de pågående endringene også kreve påvirkningsarbeid fra interesseorganisasjonene gjennom lobbyvirksomhet, for å sikre at de litteraturpolitiske virkemidlene oppdateres i takt med samfunns- og bransjeutviklingen. Denne studien handler om hvordan bransjeorganisasjonene søker å påvirke politikken gjennom den korporative kanalen og gjennom lobbyvirksomhet. Nærmere bestemt har vi studert hvordan lederne i bokbransjens mest sentrale organisasjoner snakker om deres erfaringer med bruk av disse to kanalene for påvirkningsarbeid og hvordan dette eventuelt endres som en konsekvens av endringer relatert til nye aktører, digitalisering og andre endringer i bokbransjens omland. The Norwegian book industry is supported and regulated through a range of political tools. Due to increases in the offerings and consumption of digital literature, the arrival of new actors in the book market, and wide-ranging changes in adjacent policy areas and society as such, these tools cannot be taken for granted. There exists well-established mechanisms for the book industry to influence literature policies through corporatist channels. At the same time, to secure that the tools of literature policy are updated in accordance with current changes, interest organizations will also need to seek political influence through lobbying. This is a study of how interest organizations in the Norwegian book industry seek political influence through corporatist and lobbyist channels. More accurately, we have studied how leaders in the most important organizations in the Norwegian book industry talk about their experiences with using these channels for political influence, and how this is changing due to the arrival of new actors, digitalization and other changes concerning the book industry. Artikkelen er utformet innenfor rammen av forskningsprosjektet Political Dynamics of the Cultural Sector (POLYCUL), finansiert av Norges forskningsråd, med prosjektnummer 302199.

Streaming services have emerged as increasingly important access points for cultural content, often promising, as Netflix does, ‘unlimited entertainment’. However, the actual conditions of availability remain under-examined. While streaming services typically contain a vast selection of objects, they certainly do not hold the total amount of all possible items. Streaming services thus pose new challenges for policy makers who wish to ensure access to, and availability of culture. In this paper, we build on previous research (Tallerås, Colbjørnsen, & Øfsti, 2019) to develop the term ‘contingent availability’ and discuss how cultural items are made available in streaming contexts. Departing from a pyramid model of availability, we investigate these levels empirically through a case-based approach. Nine Norwegian award-winning or critically acclaimed books, movies and TV series were strategically selected to highlight how availability in streaming services is contingent upon multiple conditions. For each case, we assess the ways in which Norwegian cultural policy influences production, distribution and availability of culture. We discuss how cultural policy measures do secure availability for most of the cases, but is unable to effectively combat fragmentation of availability. This work was supported by the Norges Forskningsråd [263076]

Based on research on the development of streaming solutions across media forms and industries, this article traces the dynamics and dimensions of the notion of streaming. It theorizes streaming as an evolving concept, and argues against strict, set and limited definitions such as those suggested by Lotz and Herbert et al. A short substantive and industrial history of streaming is provided, recognizing its many manifestations and variations. Five key dimensions are identified, and trends and traits within each of them discussed: (1) professional versus user-generated streaming, (2) legal versus piracy streaming, (3) on-demand versus live streaming, (4) streaming on dedicated versus multi-feature platforms, and (5) niche versus general-audience streaming. The article concludes by pointing out how streaming is a concept that metaphorically unites media research across industries, practices, and media forms, encouraging more comparative research. © The Author(s) 2020 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

Music and television streaming services present users with abundant catalogues of content available on demand. We investigate whether users respond by narrowing or widening the diversity of content they consume. Further, we examine how the different logics characterising music and television streaming are mirrored in the number of streaming services people use. To do so, we compare non-, sporadic, regular, and frequent users of television and music streaming services. Findings from a cross-sectional survey in Norway show that frequent streamers consume a wider variety of genres and rely on more services. Our results also indicate that streaming has gone from a first-mover activity to a standard consumer mode. This study indicates that we can expect continued growth in television streamers, whereas the music streaming industry seems more consolidated. This article is produced in association with the University of Oslo research project “Streaming the culture industries”, funded by the Research Council of Norway (grant number 263076).

The role that prices play for streaming media services is yet to be comprehensively and comparatively analysed with an international outlook. In this paper, we present results on music and video streaming prices, based on analysis of a data set of prices and information on pricing models and price developments. The data set spans 2008 to 2019, five streaming services, and nine countries across four continents. We provide comparative overviews of real prices and developments over the years studied and purchasing power-adjusted pricing across countries, as well as country-by-country assessments. Finally, our results show significant divergences in the pricing practices and strategies of Spotify and Netflix. The access-based pricing structure of streaming comes forth as highly contingent on demand-side factors and competitive structures. This work was supported by the Norwegian Research Council [grant numbers 263076, 275441 and 262762].

Siden mars 2020 har Covid-19-pandemien rammet det norske samfunnet på ulike måter. Foruten de helsemessige ringvirkningene, har privat og offentlig sektor vært nødt til å tilpasse seg den pågående krisen. De første inngripende smitteverntiltakene i Norge ble innført 12. mars. Sentrale myndigheter ga beskjed om at skoler og barnehager skulle stenge –sammen med blant annet kultur-og idrettsarrangement, frisører og treningssentre. Universitet og høgskoler gikk samtidig over til digital undervisning. Dette førte til at også bibliotekene stengte sine lokaler. Selv om det umiddelbart hersket en gjengs oppfatning om at bibliotekene måtte stenge fantes det aldri et direkte pålegg om å lukke dørene (Rognerød, 2020). I ettertid har kritiske røster har hevdet at stengte lokalerførte til at bibliotekene sviktet sitt samfunnsoppdrag (Audunson, 2020). Vi har selv påpekt at norske bibliotek for eksempel kunne inntatt en mer fremtredende rolle i formidlingen av kvalitetssikret helseinformasjon (Bøyum et al., 2021). As the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world and Norway in 2020, libraries were among the institutions that were impacted. The social mission of libraries to stay open and offer services, cultural experiences and reliable information was put under pressure. In this article we depart from a survey of 843 library workers across public, academic, special, and school libraries in Norway. The survey was conducted in June-August 2020 and contains quantitative and qualitative data on how library workers experienced lockdown and the responses from libraries. The article addresses how the Covid-19 crisis impacted libraries’ social missions and what circumstances contribute to crisis management in Norwegian libraries. We use institutional theories on isomorphism and institutional pressures, as well as general theories on crisis management, to analyse the material. We conclude that the pandemic has shown the potential of digital library services, but also find that closed library premises strongly influenced how libraries were able to fulfil their social missions. Our findings also indicate the need for a sectorial leadership in times of crisis. In our discussion, we describe a situation where structures and plans to manage situations of crises are lacking. For libraries to be part of society’s democratic infrastructure, their roles and social missions need to be considered in crisis management plans.

Despite there being more than a decade since the introductions of Netflix’ and Spotify’s online services, few attempts have been made to thoroughly examine and conceptualize streaming and streaming services across culture and media industries. The argument proposed here is that streaming constitutes a distinct form of digital media distribution network, what I refer to as the streaming network. The article asks what constitutes the parts or nodes of such a streaming network, and further what the power relationships between the various parts are. The analysis uses Spotify, Apple Music, Netflix, and Kindle Unlimited as examples, building on a wide array of primary and secondary document sources. The analysis contains a stepwise discussion and visualization of how human and nonhuman actors in this streaming network are connected by way of flows of content, data, and money, as well as by relationships of control, access, and exposure. The argument draws on theories of network power, platform power, and algorithmic power. The analysis highlights the asymmetrical relationships between, on the one hand, users and content providers, and on the other, streaming providers and device and software makers. No single actor in the network is able to exercise full control, but users and content originators are seen as particularly vulnerable. Streaming providers and device and software makers are able to maneuver the network to strengthen their relative position.

© 2019 Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons CC-BY-NC 4.0 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Strømmetjenester bruker gjerne algoritmer for å presentere og filtrere innhold, basert på prediksjoner og kalkulasjoner om hva brukerne liker. Anbefalings- og presentasjonsalgoritmene kan imidlertid sies å fungere som bare ett av flere nivåer der medieinnhold gjøres tilgjengelig. Før algoritmene utarbeider sine anbefalinger, er databasen som de tar utgangspunkt i, allerede strukturert på andre nivåer. I denne artikkelen utvikler vi begrepet «relativ tilgjengelighet» og diskuterer hvilke nivåer av tilgjengeliggjøring som gjør seg gjeldende i strømmetjenester. Vi argumenterer for at tilgjengeliggjøring må forstås som en pyramide med fem nivåer: ontologisk, teknologisk, juridisk, økonomisk og algoritmisk tilgjengelighet. Vi undersøker disse nivåene empirisk gjennom en analyse av et datamateriale fra Norsk filminstitutt, samt en egen undersøkelse av brukerrapporterte anbefalinger gjennom Netflix og Storytel. Vi finner at norske filmer generelt er dårlig representert i de mest utbredte strømmetjenestene. Filminnholdet er også spredt på ulike tjenester. En tilsvarende fragmentering finner vi også for det boklige materialet. Vi diskuterer også årsaker til manglende innhold og fragmentering. Artikkelen kan leses som en kritikk og nyansering av de mest dramatiske situasjonsbeskrivelsene og prediksjonene om algoritmenes makt. Vi konkluderer med at det er grunn til å undersøke mer kritisk hvilke rom algoritmene jobber innenfor. Streaming services often use algorithms to present and filter content based on predictions and calculations of user preferences. However, recommendation and presentation algorithms are arguably just one of several levels where media content is made available. Before the algorithms make their recommendations, the database is already structured on other levels. In this article, we develop the term «contingent availability» and discuss what levels of availability apply in streaming services. We argue that availability must be understood as a five-level pyramid: ontological, technological, legal, economic, and algorithmic availability. We investigate these levels empirically through an analysis of data from the Norwegian Film Institute, as well as a separate survey of user-reported recommendations on Netflix and Storytel. We find that Norwegian films are generally poorly represented in the most widely used streaming services. The films are also spread across various services. A similar degree of fragmentation is found for the book material. We discuss causes of missing content and fragmentation. In addition, the article can be read as a critique of the most radical statements on the power of the algorithm. We conclude that there is reason to investigate the contexts within which algorithms operate more critically.

Adapting to the digital age is a challenge for booksellers, resulting in paradoxical practices of providing digital books through brick-and-mortar stores, but also spurring innovations in the book trade. This article examines the digital operations of four Norwegian booksellers, looking specifically at how the combined forces of digitalization, internationalization and industry regulations affect their operations. Based on research interviews and business statistics, the paper finds that two of the selected booksellers represent an omnichannel business model, which includes seeking strategic benefits by combining digital and physical operations. The other two have a digital-only business model, offering digital content in novel ways, but struggling somewhat to gain the full advantage of their approach due to industry competition and regulatory hindrances.

In both eBook and print versions, EL James’ Fifty Shades trilogy has made a substantial impact on bestseller lists across the world. But what does it mean to be a bestseller? Is the eBook bestseller different from its print counterpart? Taking the case of the Fifty Shades trilogy as a starting point, this article looks into the overall topic of bestsellers and digital publishing with specific attention paid to the Norwegian book market and the publishing history of the trilogy in Norway. The article examines these issues in line with an understanding of the bestseller as the product of a cultural logic rather than a reflection of popular taste. The article argues that since a bestseller is identified through its position on a bestseller list, the status is dependent on a general cultural recognition and the inclusion in a particular market information regime. The case of Fifty Shades highlights new trends in publishing and new elements to the construction of the bestseller, but also how the construction of the bestseller was dependent on its integration into the traditional channels of publishing.

What happens when a media innovation encounters the marketplace in the form of critical bloggers and commentators? This paper adapts conceptual frameworks from science and technology studies – particularly actor-network theory (ANT) and social construction of technology (SCOT) – in order to analyse the process of introducing new media devices and the role of users and mediators in this process, by way of an empirically based study on digital strategy and marketing by a traditional book industry actor. The case studied is the Kibano Digireader, introduced to the Norwegian book market in 2011 and immediately heavily criticized. Looking into the role of tech bloggers and social media pundits, the paper argues that the success of consumer technologies relies upon an alignment with particular social groups, and their perceptions of relevance and demand. I further argue that the specific insights gained on book industry digitalization are applicable across other media industries and aim at a theoretical contrib...

This article addresses reduction of or exemption from value added tax (VAT) as a cultural- and media policy instrument and analyses the VAT policies on ebooks within the European Economic Area. Examining an area of media and policy studies that is largely overlooked, the article is partly an empirical analysis of VAT policies and partly a discussion paper raising issues applicable to other media sectors and of political and societal relevance. Section 1 of the article conceptualises VAT reduction/exemption as a media and cultural policy tool within national and supranational policy frameworks. Section 2 gives a comprehensive overview of the application of VAT on print books and ebooks in Europe and discusses some consequences of the concrete taxation practices. Section 3 reports and discusses initiatives to alter the European VAT policies on digital media and cultural products and services.