Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software, and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newspapers, and magazines. With the advent of digital information systems, the scope has expanded to include digital publishing such as ebooks, digital magazines, websites, social media, music, and video game publishing.
The commercial publishing industry ranges from large multinational conglomerates such as News Corp, Pearson, Penguin Random House, and Thomson Reuters, to major retail brands and thousands of small independent publishers. It has various divisions such as trade/retail publishing of fiction and non-fiction, educational publishing, and academic and scientific publishing. Publishing is also undertaken by governments, civil society, and private companies for administrative or compliance requirements, business, research, advocacy, or public interest objectives. This can include annual reports, research reports, market research, policy briefings, and technical reports. Self-publishing has become very common.
"Publisher" can refer to a publishing company or organization, or to an individual who leads a publishing company, imprint, periodical, or newspaper.
The publishing process covering most magazine, journal, and book publishers includes: (Different stages are applicable to different types of publisher)
Newspapers or news websites are publications of current reports, articles, and features written by journalists and are available for free, available for free with a premium edition, or paid for, either individually or on a subscription. They are filled with photographs or other media and normally subsidized with advertising. They can have local, national, and international news or feature a particular industry. They can charge premium prices when they have the expertise and exclusive knowledge. They are intended to act in the public interest, hold people and businesses to account, and promote freedom of information and expression.