Digital products are considered the biggest threat to the book industry, a survey said.

The survey was conducted among 1,324 publishers from 86 countries and regions. The results was released on Friday by the organizer of the 2007 Frankfurt Book Fair.

According to the survey, 53 percent of interviewees consider digital products the biggest threat to the publishing industry, 11 percent believe that printed books will be out of date in 50 years, and 23 percent predict that book shops may be kicked out of the market.

The publishers also list other major challenges to the book industry, such as over-printing, infringement of copyrights and illiteracy.

Juergen Boos, Director of the Frankfurt Book Fair, urged book industry insiders to learn from the music industry, which has successfully adapted itself to the practice of downloading music from the Internet.

At the 2007 Frankfurt Book Fair, over 380,000 books and other related products are exhibited, among which 30 percent are digital products.

The fair, the world's largest of its kind, has attracted over 7,400 exhibitors from 108 countries and regions. It opened on October 10 and runs until October 14.

(Xinhua News Agency October 13, 2007)