While the offshoring of journalistic activities is still a controversial issue in the flat world, the outsourcing of IT-related publishing tasks is being well-adopted by Americans. Even the service providers sitting miles away are developing suitable ways to serve the U.S.-based media and publishing firms.

Specifically, e-learning, one of the fastest growing segments of the global education market today, is sized at over $20 billion. The market segment has grown  10 folds since 1999, according to ValueNotes’ recently published article Educational Publishers: Move Towards E-learning. e-learning formats such as e-books, CDs, Web media, blended learning and teaching aids have introduced new opportunities for offshore providers in the creative content space. “Some large and mid-sized Indian software companies and a few niche companies such as Aptara, Q2A, Hurix and CyberMedia Services have caught the trend early,” says the article. Some other leading e-learning players are Brainvisa, Lionbridge, NIIT Smartserve, Tata Interactive, Mentorware and Praxis.

In fact, large IT-services firms are also taking advantage of the growing need for IT and IT-enabled services in this sector. For instance, HCL has recently launched its publishing lab to roll out IT solutions for publishers. The lab will develop solutions for content life-cycle management, access and entitlement, digital-rights management, digital-asset management, vertical search, collaborative environments and cross media advertisement management. With an investment of $5 million, HCL’s publishing lab aims to provide various technology services to the publishing industry. Pearson, one of  HCL’s clients — that has been outsourcing its IT services to HCL for the past five years — seems to be highly impressed by Indian providers, and has set high, yet achievable, expectations. “With this partnership, we want to shift from the traditional model of working to a digital one,” says George Werner, COO, Pearson. The HCL-Pearson relationship has significantly grown since the year 2002. Today, over 400 HCL professionals service Pearson. Earlier, Pearson and Accenture teamed up to develop a global digital-assest management system.

Key E-learning Players in India

Brainvisa

Lionbridge

Mentorware

NIIT Smartserve

Praxis

Tata Interactive

Source: ValueNotes

Earlier this year, Green Point Technology Services also expanded its services’ base by setting up an office in Israel. The New York-headquartered company with data centers in Mumbai, India, provides a wide range of business services, including data entry, data conversion and e-publishing.

Most recently, Wegener, a publishing company, awarded an IT outsourcing contract to Imtech. Though the financial details were not disclosed, as a part of the agreement, Wegener will transfer the maintenance of all its IP telecommunication systems to Imtech for four years. Wegener is also looking for a provider/partner to outsource its remaining telephony systems, Web-service maintenance and Internet access.

With customers such as Reed Elsevier, Haymarket Publishing, William Reed Publishing, Quantum Business, Health and Safety Executive, Thomson Financial, Institute of Physics Publishing, Kay Media provides IT services such as evaluation and implementation of content-management systems, development of an advertisement booking system, quark export content, CRM strategic consulting and implementations and back-office systems development.

Publishing is emerging as a hot industry vertical for IT service providers, and they are ready with everything from digital support to content life-cycle management, for servicing their customers.   

What Can Be Outsourced?

e-book development or formatting Book to e-book conversion e-book writing, editing, proofing Tracking e-book software development Web-service maintenance and Internet access PDF creation or conversion Transcription services e-publishing Website development Web content mgmt. Software development Turnkey Web publishing products Evaluation and implementation of content mgmt. systems Development of advertisement booking systems Quark export content CRM strategic consulting and implementations Back-office systems development in circulation and subscription mgmt. ross media strategy development Multimedia book development Book conversion from one media to another media Graphic design for online publishing Custom development of e-publishing solutions e-book security solutions Content syndication solutions XML conversion e-zine development and mgmt. Subscription mgmt. Distribution of digital content Print on-demand solutions.

Source: Global Services