The campaign to boost book review space is kicking into another gear—or at least trying to. The Association of American Publishers is making the case to newspaper editors that book review sections can enhance revenues by luring advertisers from outside the book business. In a letter, AAP president Pat Schroeder explained the demographic benefits that could help papers attract non-publisher advertisers. What's most striking about the letter is that it tacitly concedes that the industry alone cannot support the sections.
"We urge you to look beyond the book publisher for advertising revenue," Schroeder wrote, to areas such as "manufacturers of automobiles, household goods and electronics." To support her argument, she cited BISG statistics: "More than 50% of books bought for an adult in 2001 were purchased by someone 50 years of age or older," and "more than 50% of book buyers earned more than $50,000."
