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Printing & Publishing
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Iran’s printing and publishing industry
is capable of establishing a presence and claiming a share of the regional
market of the Persian Gulf States and Central Asia.
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The printing and publication industry
has stepped into the spotlight with the trip of Ahmad Masjedjamei, Minister of
Culture and Islamic Guidance, at a head of a delegation to Tajikistan; where
he signed memorandums of understanding on printing cooperation with the Tajik.
In the final moments before this issue of Iran International was going for
publication, we decided to talk with Seyed Mehdi Ghadimzade, Managing Director
of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance’s Printing and Publication
Organization, to get an insight into this vibrant industry that is often
overlooked.
How do you evaluate the market for the printing and
publishing industry outside of Iran?
Iran’s printing and publishing industry
is capable of establishing a presence and claiming a share of the regional
market of the Persian Gulf States and Central Asia. Neighboring countries such
as Iraq and Afghanistan have a special significance in this regard. The recent
transformations taking place in those two countries, which has led to the
destruction of their industrial and economic infrastructure, has distanced
them from today’s technology. This has provided Iran’s printing and publishing
industry with a great opportunity for establishing a presence in that market.
Can the market for cultural products and services be
categorized?
The markets concerned with these
products and services can be divided into three groups. The markets of the
first group share a common language and culture with us and we can present
them with all our publications, press, films, and music without the need for
translation. The second market belongs to the countries that have a similar
culture to us and some of our publications, films and music can be translated
and presented to those markets. The third group does not share a common
culture or language with us, and all of our written and visual work needs to
be translated before presentation in that market.
Successful presence in the market of the
first group is relatively cheaper than the other two groups. Furthermore, the
market that can be secured in the region is good—more or less—especially in
Iraq and Afghanistan. A project that can be implemented in these countries is
the publishing of school books using Iran’s printing and binding capabilities.
How can we enter these markets?
The first step of entering any of these markets is an
assessment of the demand situation for these products and services. If the
situation appears to be favorable we start negotiations with unions, printers,
publishers and the press in an attempt to enter the market. When we
collaborate with the existing unions we lower the risk-rate of entering a new
market. Subsequently, the investment rate of each member will correspond with
the financial situation of that member. Another method of increasing the
export of cultural products and services is offering educational courses in
publication fields, including page layout, lettering, and design as well as
editing. Educational courses can also be offered in the form of training
operators at different proficiency levels for lithography, print and binding
units. The courses can be divided into short-term, medium-term and specialized
workshops. Another method of joining the market will be holding international
book fairs and exhibitions, with the participation of unions. |
