Bitniks Interview with Vince Giuliano

7 October, 1996


Questions were put to Vince Giuliano in Spanish by the Editor of Bitniks Magazine, a publication in Spain similar in "look and feel" to Wired magazine in the United States. Vince responded in English. The interview was published in Spanish in Bitniks Issue number 8 in February 1997.


Index of questions


  1. In an increasingly digital world, printed publications are developing supporting online editions. Do you believe that both the printed and online editions will coexist in the future. Do you think the online editions will ultimately finish off the printed ones?
  2. Does it not seem to you a paradox that the ultimate man of the digital revolution, Nick Negroponte, a confessed dyslexic, has written a best seller like Being Digital which is a product of the Gutenberg Galaxy?
  3. What kind of printed publications best lend themselves to publication on-line: newspapers, magazines, encyclopedias? Give reasons for your response.
  4. What is your impression of the development of on-line publications in Spain? Have you any concrete experience here in Spain?
  5. Do you believe there will someday be an electronic book with tactile and smell sensations? Do you know of any concrete activities in this direction?
  6. You have identified a sequence of stages relating to the evolution of an online version of a printed newspaper, from "shovelware" on forward. The ultimate of these stages, which you call "cybermedia" defines a complete electronic edition. What are the graphic and textual characteristics of such an ultimate form of electronic publication? Are not visual simplicity and obviousness contrary to profundity of analysis?
  7. What are the characteristics of on-line advertising. Is it viable? In what cases?
  8. Can you offer a profile of the journalist of the future? The editor of the future? Will people remain involved in the publishing process as publishers become re-engineered? Can small publishing companies compete with large ones when it comes to publishing?
  9. From the point of view of publishers, what will occur with copyright as networks develop? Are you familiar with the case of the Church of Scientology and the online publications of its secret books? What do you think about that?
  10. From your point of view in the Electronic Publishing Group, you have a general view of electronic publications, both in the U.S. and internationally. What differences appear to exist in the market requirements in North America and in Europe?
  11. Are the familiar models for electronic publications and journalism applicable in Latin America?
  12. How will the domination of the English language be resolved in the future with respect to other languages on electronic networks? What will be the future of Spanish in particular, given the great demographic growth of Spanish-speaking populations? Will it be possible to take advantage of a real-time language translation application?
  13. What is your opinion about the process of concentration going on among media companies and the assimilation of content industries into grand media empires, such as the case of Time Warner and MSNBC?
  14. In Europe, there is a lot of consciousness with respect to preserving cultural identity. Do you not think that developments such as the that involving Time Warner and MSNBC are dangerous from the viewpoint of cultural diversity?
  15. Should Europe be fearful of the Americanization of its culture?