"The public still congregates around the professionally prepared content, where the most talent and money is, be it movies, gladiator spectacles, or books pushed through big publishers. There is no data confirming erosion of any of these in favour of consumption of cheap publishing for the masses."
Doug & others,
That doesn't seem to hold true with the porn industry:
June 2, 2007
For Pornographers, Internet’s Virtues Turn to Vices By MATT RICHTEL
The Internet was supposed to be a tremendous boon for the pornography industry, creating a global market of images and videos accessible from the privacy of a home computer. For a time it worked, with wider distribution and social acceptance driving a steady increase in sales.
But now the established pornography business is in decline — and the Internet is being held responsible.
The online availability of free or low-cost photos and videos has begun to take a fierce toll on sales of X-rated DVDs. Inexpensive digital technology has paved the way for aspiring amateur pornographers, who are flooding the market, while everyone in the industry is giving away more material to lure paying customers.
[...]
After years of essentially steady increases, sales and rentals of pornographic videos were $3.62 billion in 2006, down from $4.28 billion in 2005, according to estimates by AVN, an industry trade publication. If the situation does not change, the overall $13 billion sex-related entertainment market may shrink this year, said Paul Fishbein, president of AVN Media Network, the magazine’s publisher. The industry’s online revenue is substantial but is not growing quickly enough to make up for the drop in video income.
[...]
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