Content Management in Publishing

Managing the content in a publishing organisation is important and crucial for better rights and asset management. Few areas of Content Management are:

1) Rights
The proper rights management will ensure better copyright coordination. This will also enable the publisher to re-use the copyright in many ways. With a proper contract in place and what content is available and owned by the publisher, it can benefit the derivative income of the publisher by selling copyright, re-use in a spin-off, customised and organise library of images and asset. Area that the publisher need to take care from the rights management:

• third party materials
• own materials
• how the content being handled, safeguarding the content - with supplier and internal staff

2) Fonts
Using a creative font without proper copyright clearance is illegal. I will write more detail about fonts in my later post but Publisher has to make sure fonts that has been used in thier publisher adhere to copyright compliance  and they did not use a copyrighted fonts without the proper clearance fron the Foundaries (the owner of the fonts)

3) IP Protection
Content is a valuable asset to the organisation. It can generate profits to the organisation (derivative income). Publisher has to make the best effort to protect their IP. This includes a proper secrecy or non-disclosure contract with supplier (freelancer, reviewer and typesetter) or the printer. Publisher will also has to organise the best practice on how to archive/storage/distribute their asset. In the world of digital creation. Digital piracy is the most dangerous threat to Publisher

4) Metadata Standard
Content are being produced digitally and most of the time the content will includes images, diagrams, tables, cases and many examples. How the publisher will be able to access these valuable asset when they need one? When the book published, the content is being stored digitally in the server, CD or othre storage devices. To access the content wisely, the publisher must organise a standard metadata tag to the asset. This will help to tag and describe the content depository in a consistent manner. This will make your content and asset discoverable and promote greater re-use

5) Content Creation Standard
If you are a big publisher, you will have many offices in many countries. The challenge is to establish a standard in content creation. Some of the example of content creation standard are house-style rule, standard processes, establish an establish supplier who is familiar with your style and needs and the archiving of the files. To maintain the real standard, the staff and supplier has to follow standard and always be able to be checked and audited (this is to ensure quality and consistent)