Shelly Palmer Radio Report – December 4, 2013

The internet has made digital media king in almost every realm, but a new study shows that it hasn’t quite conquered the book market. Market research firm Voxburner recently polled 16 to 24 year olds in the UK. When asked if they preferred physical products or digital content, almost two in three polled said they preferred physical books to e-books, showing that the Kindle and Nook haven’t taken over quite like their audio and video media counterparts. So why are e-books lagging so far behind other digital platforms, like music and video games? There’s a major divide over price – nearly a third of those polled think e-books should cost half as much as they do now – but the bigger reasons are more sentimental. Many said they like the smell of books, like having full bookshelves and want to show off what they’ve read to family and friends. One day, maybe Amazon or Barnes and Noble will release an e-book with smell-o-reading, but until that day comes, the printed word may remain king.