19
share sources, sometimes finding ways to do this is a source of problems. For
example, pricing is a problem when a discount is offered in the Internet bookshop,
because traditional bookshops then ask for discount as well (16 Feb 2000, IT home
epaper).
Although new technology has changed the nature of bookselling, and has provided
more functions for the publishing industry, barriers do still exist, particularly when
publishers attempt to use new technologies to expand the global market or promote
the local culture. Moreover, although new technologies help cultural expansion in
some ways, they also create new problems and can cause an uneven spread in
culture.
The flow of published material involving the publishing industry in Taiwan
not only represents the interaction between the worlds of the East and West, but also
the flow inside Chinese language markets and other markets within the East itself.
This section will offer some examples from Taiwan that represent different
perspectives on the cultural flows between Taiwan and other global markets.
The case of Yan Chez Publishing house is a good example to illustrate the
possibilities and obstacles present in the Taiwan publishing industry when entering
the global market.
4.3 Internet and Publishing Industry
When this researcher interviewed the Chief Editor of Yan Chez publishing
house, Man Feng, he stated that Mainland China is a potential market for Taiwanese
publishers, but it also creates many problems for the Taiwanese publishing industry in
crossing a variety of borders.
One of the obvious reasons for publishers in Taiwan considering Mainland
China to be a major potential market for them is the size of the Chinese-speaking
population the market serves. However, Man Feng said, “ although there is a big
population in China, a lot of them cannot read at all or they are not in the habit of
Convention