NAICS 513 - Publishing Industries

Industries in the Publishing Industries subsector group establishments engaged in publishing newspapers, magazines, other periodicals, books, directories, and software. In general, establishments known as publishers issue copies of works for which they usually possess copyright. Works may be in one or more formats including print form, CD-ROM, proprietary electronic networks, or exclusively on the Internet. Publishers may publish works originally created by others for which they have obtained the rights and/or works that they have created in-house. Publishers may publish only and license rights to others to distribute their content, or they may publish and distribute content they create or own. Software publishing is included here because the activity, creation of a copyrighted product and bringing it to market, is equivalent to the creation process for other types of intellectual products.

In NAICS, publishing--the reporting, writing, editing, and other processes that are required to create an edition of a newspaper, for example--is treated as a major economic activity in its own right, rather than as a subsidiary activity to a manufacturing activity, printing. Thus, publishing is classified in the Information sector; whereas, printing is in the Manufacturing sector. The Publishing Industries subsector excludes printed products, such as manifold business forms and appointment books, for which information is not the essential component. Establishments producing these items are included in Subsector 323, Printing and Related Support Activities.

Reproduction of prepackaged software is treated in NAICS as a manufacturing activity, and custom design of software to client specifications is included in the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector. These distinctions arise because of the different ways that software is created, reproduced, and distributed.

Music publishers and establishments primarily engaged in the production, or production and distribution, of motion pictures and sound recordings are included in Subsector 512, Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries. Establishments not engaged in publishing and exclusively obtaining rights from publishers to broadcast and distribute content are included in Subsector 516, Broadcasting and Content Providers.

• Includes establishments publishing newspapers, magazines, books, directories, and software products.
• Focuses on content creation and copyright ownership rather than manufacturing or printing.
• Encompasses print, digital, and proprietary electronic network distribution formats.
• Excludes printing services and reproduction of prepackaged software (classified elsewhere).
• Typical contract sizes range from small publication projects to large digital content management.
• Key sector within the Information industry, distinct from manufacturing and broadcasting.

• Publishing and licensing newspapers, periodicals, and magazines.
• Producing and distributing books and directories in multiple formats.
• Developing and marketing copyrighted software products.
• Managing digital content creation and electronic publishing platforms.
• Acquiring and managing rights for third-party content for publication.
• Providing editorial, writing, and content development services.
• Distributing published content via print and electronic media.
• Ensuring compliance with copyright and accessibility standards.

• Newspaper and magazine publishers
• Book and directory publishers
• Software publishing companies
• Digital content publishers
• Content licensing and rights management firms
• Specialized editorial and publishing service providers