The Book Page

By Amy

November 13, 2007 9:35 AM | Link to this

Who cares what the consumer thinks - it’s all about the commercialism. That stinks - I like the way it is - but who’s content with the status quo any more? HUMBUG!

By Kate

November 13, 2007 10:03 AM | Link to this

Amen, Brother Phil. Preach it!

Several years ago, I decided to boycott restaurants that mounted TVs in the dining area (bars are different, somehow). It makes me crazy that I can’t have a conversation with my family without them looking over my shoulder at Oprah. I’m more interesting than Oprah, dammit! Anyway, I’ve lost that battle. Short of never dining out (which is not an option, thank you), I have succumbed to the demon.

Part of the experience of being in public places is encounters with strangers, friends, and acquaintances. The predominance of TVs in public places makes this experience isolating. It’s too easy to close off and ignore your surroundings while sitting slack jawed in front of a screen.

But TV in the bookstore??! Is nothing sacred? Next stop, your public library. If I bring my kids to a bookstore, it is to avoid the barrage of TV crappola that is being slung at them constantly (even in school. Channel 1 anyone?). How could Borders possibly think that this is not an intrusion? They are going to make me go all Alex Baldwin on their a**!

By erinanne

November 13, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this

Does Borders really think that’s a way to gain customers? By turning more people to television rather than books? What marketing genius came up with that idea to encourage people to spend money in other mediums?

Most of us read to escape the other stimuli of the world- the weather, advertisements, and the news. If I want to see these things I know how to turn my own TV to Channel 2.

Borders, you were usually my last stop anyway when it came to book buying before. Now I won’t even bother.

By Lily Toad

November 13, 2007 3:05 PM | Link to this

Hear, hear! I hate TV’s in the airport, oil change places, doctor’s offices, hospitals. Now bookstores!? When I have to wait somewhere I carry a book and would like to read in silence. I remember a short experiment of Kroger having a TV carrying ads in their checkout lines and they quietly and quickly disappeared. Take a lesson, Borders. Or, on second thought, inundate your READING customers with TV’s and they will go to independently owned bookstores that revere books.

By Joyce

November 14, 2007 8:33 AM | Link to this

It might not be all humbug. Authors and bookstores are turning to YouTube, MySpace, etc. to bring customers in the door. Authors are doing more interview clips and booksellers are filming book reviews. I suspect it will be a rotation of author interviews; book ads; and local book reviews on the TVs.

True, the noise will be hurt the bookstore experience, but if you learn of a new book that you end up purchasing, it can’t be all bad.

Other major chains have been doing it for years to move merchandise.

By Ronda

November 14, 2007 1:54 PM | Link to this

Oh good grief…I guess they have forgotten they are a BOOKstore. Aren’t we exposed to enough ads and commercialism in our homes?

Ultimately it will come out that Borders is struggling financially against Barnes and Noble and are catering to advertisers to get more financing or income. Sell out = lose out.

By Eat a Lot of Peaches

November 14, 2007 2:02 PM | Link to this

Go to downtown Decatur and choose one of the four independent bookstores that are thriving. Not a TV in any of them. Attend a children’s book reading, hear an author discuss his works, browse the stacks in silence - very nice. Avoid the big box bookstores.

By DJ

November 14, 2007 2:06 PM | Link to this

Televisions belong everywhere in the public space, and the advertising industry won’t stop until every man, woman, and child as some sort of video screen within their eyesight from the moment they walk out of their house in the morning until the moment they get home at night (where, after a hearty meal of TV dinners - get it - they’ll settle into the den to… watch television together).

this is the character of america today - we are a “target market” (of segments), the sole purpose of which is to buy stuff, and so we will be targeted with advertising until - well, there is no “until” (maybe until the public space is completely saturated with advertising??).

you see those new electronic billboards all over the interstates. how long before they are running commercials instead of ‘static’ (i guess animations don’t count) ads? don’t worry about saftey and driving - the billboard industry will twist enough political hands to get their way.

we are not citizens anymore - we are consumers, plain and simple. that is what america is about - buying stuff. and if we are all about buying, marketers will not stop trying to push ads at us anywhere and everywhere they can. they call this “free speech”.

i call it BS.

By Atlanta Pearl Girl

November 14, 2007 2:44 PM | Link to this

No!

By Bulletproof Diva

November 14, 2007 2:49 PM | Link to this

Captive audiences, it was just too good to pass up, right!? Bah!

This will be what drives us back to the non-chain stores, maybe it’s a good thing after all.!

By GetOverIt

November 14, 2007 2:51 PM | Link to this

Oh go to a library already! I have seen so many ridiculous blogs on this website. It all adds up to one conclusion. You want to have your cake and eat it too. You believe in capitalism but only to the extent it doesn’t impact you. Cellphones are fine but you better not here anyone talking on one. Children should be seen and not heard, at least while flying.

You know 1 person can make a difference, oh wait, the “crappola” on this website isn’t worth fighting for or against.

The weirdest thing is Borders is not even known for being all the comfortable to relax and get away from the stimuli of the world. B&N is much better.

By Jeff

November 14, 2007 3:07 PM | Link to this

Ya know, I was again talking to T about this last night, and she flat out said that if she saw such a TV screen in a bookstore, she would NOT shop there.

The problem with that statement is that I am the one in our marraige MUCH more likely to be found in a bookstore!

However, while maybe not as strongly as T, I share the same sentiments. Honestly though, I’ve always preferred Barnes and Noble, and since Books a Million is the only big bookstore in our area, I’ve come to like it as well. I’ve RARELY shopped in Borders, and this only gives me further reason not to.

By no name

November 14, 2007 3:10 PM | Link to this

T.V.’s at a bookstore…noooooooooo way. I work for a very large Barnes & Noble, not in the state of GA. and am proud of the fact that we don’t need mind numbing TV to draw our customers to our store. We do that with a great product, wonderful atmosphere, great customer service. We provide the newset and latest printed matter for the person who really READS and doesn’t just mindlessly sit there and let the news drift into their ears. We are a class act and we think our customers are the same.

By John in Tampa, FLA

November 14, 2007 3:21 PM | Link to this

Barnes & Noble reports 92% of books about kleptomania are shoplifted.

By Anne

November 14, 2007 3:51 PM | Link to this

Whereas I do frequent the library….I still love to browse in bookstores. Now, I’ll just stay home and order everything off Amazon.

By Jessica

November 15, 2007 12:56 AM | Link to this

I don’t think they’ll be all that intrusive. Borders used to have a couple of TVs in their stores in the past. The original had whatever new movies were out running on loop and you could put headphones on and listen or just walk by and the other was a kind-of prototype with “ticker” style information (including news, stocks, etc) and tvs with book advertisements…no sound

I’m pretty sure these don’t have sound. I’ve seen one already and you barely register it’s there. I still was able to relax in their store and the staff was super friendly when I asked about it. I still prefer to shop there than B&N…b&ns people are always so rude

By Wednesday Brown

November 18, 2007 11:09 AM | Link to this

If I wanted to watch TV, I would stay at home. As an avid reader and book buyer, I will have to take my business elsewhere if in fact, Borders installs TVs. TVs in a bookstore? It is an oxymoron! It’s like bring your snow skis to the pool. There is a time and place for everything. It is difficult enough trying to read with some rude customer yaking on their cell phone, muchless yet another commerical. In an age of being driven to distraction, it’s not “where’s my TiVo”—It’s where’s my Book Store! I’ll vote with my wallet.