Micheal C. Keith
Well, here it is! At long last, we have a single volume that comprehensively and eloquently captures the true essence and meaning of the world (and it is a world) of electronic media sales, and—not surprising to me or anyone else who knows him—it is written by Ed Shane. This estimable carbonbased life form, this gentleman among those who are not always so gentlemanly, had the good and right stuff to make it happen. Of course, it goes with out saying (but I will say it anyway) that I am enormously pleased with the results of Ed’s Herculean efforts, yet I am also very envious of his singular achievement.
My latter reaction is made all the more poignant and profound since I was originally slated to be his co-author, which would have meant sharing in this book, his latest glory. Alas, other obligations prevented my participation. My loss, however, is Ed’s gain. For after reading his text for the second time, I realize that I would likely have impeded—perhaps even impaired—the brilliant flow of his protean pen and the powerful originality of his thinking. Besides, one does not stand in the way of fate (lest one be flattened), and it is now amply evident that it was Ed’s destiny to write the definitive book on this complex and in triguing topic. It was for him alone to do.
Reflecting on my professional life, which admittedly I do more and more these days, particularly on momentous occasions and stellar events (and I now rank this book as one of them), it makes complete sense that Ed Shane would be the person to bring this tome’s subject matter into the newest electronic age and the new millennium. In deed, he had all the talent, experience, and expertise needed to reinvigorate the existing canon of published discourse on electronic media sales. His three-plus decades as a broadcaster and consultant, as well as media observer and scholar (he is the creator of several important industry studies and books), made him the perfect individual to meet the task head-on and, in fact, the likeliest of all of us to triumph.
Thus it hardly seems necessary or desirable to say anything further, since everything the reader needs or wants to know about electronic media sales awaits him or her in the following pages of this extraordinary volume. So make way for the “word”—the last word—as imparted by someone who is clearly the master of this unique domain.