The IPG Podcast

This episode of the podcast welcomes Eleanor Gaffney and Michaela O'Callaghan, who as well as being busy publishers are the current co-chairs of the Society of Young Publishers, the important industry group that celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2024. Eleanor and Michaela tell us about the purpose and activities of the SYP and how both young people and employers can get involved in its work. They also discuss some of the challenges facing aspiring publishers at the moment and what they might do to build a career in the industry.

The system of legal deposit has preserved print books for centuries, but how can publishers and authors make sure that the digital content they produce now can be accessed by future generations? Alicia Wise of the CLOCKSS project joins the podcast to talk about the scale of the issue and what publishers can do to establish good preservation strategies. There is more about CLOCKSS at www.clockss.org and the information guide Alicia mentions in the podcast is here.

What does Artificial Intelligence mean for publishers and content creators? Nadim Sadek, founder of AI-powered book marketing specialist Shimmr and a published author, discusses its impacts on creativity and the role of publishers, and highlights the benefits of AI among the challenges.

Gavin Marcus and Jeremy Esekow of AI-powered start-up Storywise join the IPG Podcast to discuss their solution to a problem familiar to many publishers: the volume of submissions from authors. They discuss how Storywise helps reduce the slushpile of manuscripts, and argue for the positive applications of AI at a time when so much talk is of its threats to publishing.

Kieran Potter joins the IPG Podcast to discuss how Calibre brings audiobook to people with a print disability. He tells us about the history, purpose and value of the charity and how it works for both users and publishers.

Will Crook, head of policy and communications at Publishers' Licensing Services (PLS), is the guest on this episode of the IPG Podcast. He discusses the vital issue of copyright in publishing, especially as it relates to the threats of Artificial Intelligence, as well as the work that PLS is doing to make sure publishers' interests are represented in government.

The EU Deforestation Regulation comes into force at the end of 2024 and has some important implications for UK publishers operating in Europe. CPI's director of environment and sustainability Lisa Faratro joins the Podcast to introduce the EUDR, explain what publishers will need to do to comply with it, and share some useful resources for support.

With costs rising and pressure growing to reduce the carbon footprint of books, this episode of the IPG Podcast looks at what publishers can do to become more sustainable, both financially and environmentally. Our guest is Vicky Ellis-Duveen of Clays, who has some excellent advice for making many areas of print, production and supply more cost-effective and greener.

Publishers' Licensing Services is at the heart of publishing in the UK, distributing millions of pounds a year via collective licensing and supporting publishers with rights management and permissions. This episode of the IPG Podcast welcomes chief executive Tom West to talk about its history, purpose and future, as well as some of the big issues facing his organisation and publishing at the moment, including around AI.

Suzanne Collier, founder of the Bookcareers service, joins the podcast to talk about people-related issues in publishing in 2024. She discusses subjects including recruitment, retention, wellbeing, redundancies and more, and shares some good advice for both employers and employees.

Stephanie Kitchen, co-director of the African Books Collective, joins the podcast to chat about the story and work of the organisation in improving the profile and availability of books from across Africa. She also talks about the visibility of African books in general in the UK now, and about what more can be done to get African voices heard on a global stage.

Chris Hamilton-Emery, co-founder of poetry and literary fiction publisher Salt, tells us the highs and lows of his journey in publishing. He also chats about the value of independence and community in publishing and shares some of the lessons he's learned over nearly 25 years in the industry.

Brexit has led to major issues for UK publishers selling books in Europe. In this episode of the IPG Podcast, James Dunphy of Durnell Marketing discusses the big problems and shares some advice to help publishers make their sales and distribution easier and more effective.

This episode of the IPG Podcast looks at the value of specialist and purpose-driven independents to publishing and the cultural life of the UK. Our guest is Simon Liebesny, formerly of Pluto Press and now associate publisher at Saqi Books. Simon also talks about his career in publishing, plans for Saqi and the importance of communities like the IPG in our industry.

As Artificial Intelligence begins to transform some aspects of publishing, this episode of the IPG Podcast gets an expert overview of the subject from Nadim Sadek, founder and CEO of AI marketing specialist Shimmr, and author of 'Shimmer, Don't Shake', a guide to embracing AI in our industry. Nadim shares his views on the opportunities and challenges of AI and has some great advice for publishers who are starting to adopt it in their work.

Large print books help millions of people to read content they couldn't otherwise access—but it's a format that doesn't always get the attention it deserves. In this episode of the IPG Podcast Ingram's Laura Dolan shares some great advice for publishers on production, pricing, discoverability and more, and flags useful resources to help.

With the 2023 Frankfurt Book Fair approaching, this episode of the IPG Podcast discusses multi-media rights and how the event can support visiting publishers. Jenny Kuehne, director of rights and licensing solutions, joins us to chat about opportunities to sell film, TV and audio rights, share new rights-related activities at this year's Book Fair and offer a few tips for making the most of a visit.

Dawn Owens is the founder of the Owens Publishing Company, a US hybrid-style publisher and very likely the IPG's first member based in Texas! She joins the IPG Podcast to tell us about her journey into independent publishing and the rewards it brings.

Seonaid Francis joins the Podcast to tell us the story of west Wales based publisher Black Bee Books. She remembers what it was like to launch a business during Covid lockdowns, discusses Black Bee's journey and ambitions, and talks about the special role of independent publishers in supporting under-represented voices.

Writer, publisher and charity leader Lela Burbridge joins this episode of the IPG Podcast to tell us her inspiring life story and journey into the world of books. She also tells us about her charitable work in Uganda and the power of books and reading to change lives.