In publishing, some of the best-selling eBooks on Amazon are from independent authors that have deals directly with AMazon rather than a traditional publishing deal. And it will not be long before small independent digital publishers spring up, with the knowledge and taste that people trust in their specific niches – where they will act as the publisher and business managers for authors. Without the need to print on paper and get that book into shops, small independent publishers can compete on a level playing field – and without the monopolies and marketing budgets of scale, the larger publishers will start to see their profits dwindle. Quality and the agility to change to the evolving market is key, and larger corporations are simply worse at this as they are focused on profit maximisation – scale is beginning to have adverse effects.
Tim Dickinson, "Why Economies of Scale Don't Matter in the Media," Tech Fruit, February 21, 2012