The Virus in the Bookshop: How Has The Pandemic Affected Istanbul's Publishing Industry?

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the publishing industry in Istanbul, with both positive and negative sides. It has accelerated the trend towards digitalisation and has led to significant economic gains for some actors in the industry, such as digital platforms. However, this has also caused serious losses for other actors, particularly small and independent businesses that rely on their physical presence in the workplace. Closure measures and disruptions in economic activity have caused dramatic drops in sales and revenue for these businesses, leading to financial difficulties and job losses. To understand the professional experiences of stakeholders in Istanbul’s publishing industry during the pandemic, 13 interviews were conducted between May and October 2022, identifying two main components of the industry: publishers and bookstores. The interviews suggest that the pandemic has a markedly negative effect on booksellers, further accelerating existing trends towards digitalisation and monopoly. This paper concludes with a discussion of the findings and implications of this study for future research.