Publishing

Sector introduction

Publishing comprises a range of closely related products and services including books, journals, magazines, business media, newspapers, news agencies and other related information services. This is a popular and competitive industry to enter and roles are highly sought by graduates.

The journal industry is particularly significant for doctoral graduates as their professional qualifications and technical knowledge are often crucial for roles in journal publishing, but other occupations and roles are also open to doctoral graduates, such as journalists, commissioning editors, designers or advertising executives. Changes in publishing practice, as multimedia formats replace more traditional print, mean the industry is at an exciting time and subject to rapid change.

Estimating the number of businesses in the sector can be difficult as many large employers have their own publishing divisions. However, in 2009, there were an estimated 11,600 businesses in the sector, with 88% having ten employees or fewer [2009 Interdepartmental Business Register (IDBR)]. 2,450 of these businesses were journal or periodical businesses.

2,750 were in London, the most important location for businesses in the sector. Other important locations for this sector are Cambridge, Oxford, the Bristol and Bath area, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh, with a smaller group in the area around Peterborough.