The power of the prosumer: what is the 'prosumer' potential for publishers in Europe in the digital era?

Abstract

The European publishing market faces critical challenges in the digital era: increasing competition from entertainment giants, dominance of global platforms like Amazon, and economic repercussions for traditional publishers. This article explores the role and potential of ‘prosumers’, characterized as engaged online readers involved in fan fiction, as potential catalysts for sustainable digital innovation in the (European) publishing sector, especially in developing new applications and unlocking valuable market insights based on prosumer data. The study aims to uncover the role, significance, and sustainable contributions of prosumers in the European publishing sector, in addressing the following research questions: (1) What is the role of prosumers in the (European) publishing market? (2) What is the importance of prosumer data for the European publishing market? (3) In what way can prosumers contribute sustainably to the European publishing sector?