How is a 250-year-old encyclopedia company adapting to the digital age?
Dec 13, 2018

How is a 250-year-old encyclopedia company adapting to the digital age?

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This week, Encyclopedia Britannica celebrates its 250th birthday. That's remarkable, but what may be more surprising is the simple fact that it's still around. The company went fully digital six years ago. No more tomes on shelves. That pivot is part of the company's history of being pretty revolutionary. When it began, Encyclopedia Britannica's founders published in English instead of Latin, making it a resource for the masses. Today, given that pretty much everyone gets most of their information on the internet, Encyclopedia Britannica is literally inserting itself online, wherever possible, to provide context and stay relevant. Marketplace’s Jed Kim talks with Karthik Krishnan, CEO of Encyclopedia Britannica.

Today's show is sponsored by Colgate University and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

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Dec 13, 2018
Encyclopedia Britannica has a history of being pretty revolutionary.
Encyclopedia Britannica on the shelf at the New York Public Library in 2012.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

This week, Encyclopedia Britannica celebrates its 250th birthday. That’s remarkable, but what may be more surprising is the simple fact that it’s still around. The company went fully digital six years ago. No more tomes on shelves. That pivot is part of the company’s history of being pretty revolutionary. When it began, Encyclopedia Britannica’s founders published in English instead of Latin, making it a resource for the masses. Today, given that pretty much everyone gets most of their information on the internet, Encyclopedia Britannica is literally inserting itself online, wherever possible, to provide context and stay relevant. Marketplace’s Jed Kim talks with Karthik Krishnan, CEO of Encyclopedia Britannica.

Today’s show is sponsored by Colgate University and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

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