The Latest on Writing and Publishing in Canada
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | FEDERAL BUDGET | GRAPHIC LITERATURE | INTERNATIONAL
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Canada’s AI Initiatives Given Failing Grade
An April 2024 report published in online academic journal The Conversation compares Canada’s current responses to the growing threats from unregulated artificial intelligence with others around the world. Canada does not compare well. Saying the proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA) was rushed without proper stakeholder consultation, authors Joanna Redden and Fenwick McKelvey call for greater focus on transparency and the documenting of known impacts of AI. The Writers’ Union of Canada continues to consult with Canada’s Industry Committee on similar AI concerns.
FEDERAL BUDGET
Budget 2024 Ignores Authors
A modest increase to the Canada Book Fund (far below the requested 50 percent bump) was the only focussed support offered by Canada’s Budget 2024 (released April 16). Despite years of promises about fixing the educational copying marketplace, the budget made exactly two references to the Copyright Act, and those promised to weaken protection of intellectual property. The Public Lending Right program, also promised a 50 percent budget increase, was completely ignored. Writing and publishing groups across the sector registered their dismay at the Budget’s failings.
GRAPHIC LITERATURE
Disturbing Sales Figures in the Comics and Graphic Literature Sector
Publisher’s Weekly recently reported a whopping 65 percent of U.S. sales outlets for graphic literature reporting sales declines, with an attendant drop on comic book sales at 73 percent of reporting retailers. Despite being the third-largest sales category in adult fiction in the U.S., the actual decline in adult graphic novel sales is reported at 22.4 percent. While late rallies and the relative strength of children and young adult graphic sales kept the category from cratering, it’s clear adult consumers are buying fewer graphic works.
INTERNATIONAL
Public Lending Right Studied at the World Intellectual Property Organization
Thanks in large part to work from the International Authors Forum (IAF), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has generated a Scoping Study on Public Lending Right. Currently only 35 countries in the world make payments to authors in compensation for free library use of their work. As it is in the interest of all authors to spread PLR as a concept and working reality as widely as possible, the IAF (chaired by The Writers’ Union of Canada) views this study as a positive step forward. According to the report, 29 more countries are now actively engaged in developing PLR systems. Canada remains the only country in the Americas with a PLR system.
Simon & Schuster Hits Centennial Milestone
After being sold for $1.62 billion U.S. to private equity firm KKR last summer and at least one weird rumour that they were almost acquired by tech giant META (as essentially a content dump for artificial intelligence training), Big Five publisher Simon & Schuster threw itself a party in Manhattan to celebrate 100 years in the books business.
On a related note, Simon & Schuster Canada has undergone a wholesale leadership change after the sale to KKR. Longstanding President S&S Canada Kevin Hanson left the firm in February, following the departures of Vice President Felicia Quon and Editor-in-Chief Nita Pronovost. New President Nicole Winstanley comes to S&S Canada from her position as Vice President at Penguin Random House Canada. There appears to be no intention to reduce publication of Canadian titles.
