Journalists Debate E-Book Pricing

Today on the Morning Media Menu, the show featured Lisa R. Cohen, an Emmy Award-winning television news magazine
producer and author of the investigative nonfiction book, “After Etan.” Cohen shared some thoughts about the state of the publishing industry and told the story of a world-famous kidnapping behind her book.

The show was hosted by GalleyCat editor Jason Boog and AgencySpy editor Matt Van Hoven. At one point, Van Hoven questioned the actual production cost of a digital book, sparking a uniquely 21st Century debate.

Cohen replied: “You pay $25 to eat in a restaurant instead of the $1.50 it would cost for you to make it yourself. You’re paying for all kinds of other things. You’re paying for the rental of the restaurant, the cost of paying all the waiters and cooks. When you write a book, there are all sorts of costs that go into it that don’t have anything to do with the actual production cost.”

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