Publish books for mobile platform, says Collymore

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore and Moran MD David Muita when he presided over the launch of books co-published by IHR of Japan and Moran Publishers. [Photo: Courtesy]

By David Odongo

NAIROBI; KENYA: Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore has challenged authors and publisher in Kenya to embrace digital revolution and avail books on mobile phone platforms to reach wider audiences.

Collymore challenged publishers to be alive to the fact that there was a huge demand for knowledge by the low income earners who could not afford high priced books in the Kenyan market.

He was speaking during the launch of motivational books co-published by Moran East Africa Publishers at a Nairobi Hotel at the weekend.

Giving the example from his mobile telephony company, Collymore said Safaricom  pioneered the per second billing system as well as airtime recharge card that are as low as Sh5 and introduced a saving product that caters for low income earners.

"This allowed us to reach customers who had not previously been reached. May I therefore suggest a similar train of thought for our authors and publishers." He said.

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Collymore said there has always been and forever will be a demand for knowledge and reading and publishers must quench the thirst of the masses seeking access to books.

"Publishers must take an extra step and think about further development especially in regards to how books are disseminated."

Moran Publishers East Africa MD David Muita said Kenyan publishers were already embracing digital revolution and would explore opportunities of availing literature on mobile phones.

"I agree with Collymore's call that we must change with times and avail smaller volumes of books on mobile platforms to reach more people," Muita said.

Collymore argued: “We are living in in a fast paced and highly mobile world. In previous century, books were by and large printed. In today's world, information is now available and accessible via mobile phones, Ipads, tablets, kindles and other electronic gadgets."

"In Japan I can carry as many as 20 books in my electronic gadget at a go but I cannot do the same with 20 hard copies." He argued.

Collymore asked authors and publishers to acknowledge we are in the digital edge which demands a rapid publication and dissemination rate.

"You must work towards digitization of knowledge adapting new technologies that meet these demands. Publishers should consider publishing bite size pieces including books with stand alone chapters," 

He argued that stand alone chapters would give a student who has research to or study a particular subject for a test or project, the ability to purchase and read that stone alone chapters.

Muita said some of the titles by Moran East Africa Publishers were already available electronically and distributed by Amazon.

Muita added that publishers were looking forward to avail content for digital platforms.