The White
Book 2008
The Ocean Media
Group
2008 saw the 25th anniversary of the institution
known as The White Book. Not much of a read
but weighty enough to break a window, the
directory offers some 37,000 listings across 470
categories within the UK entertainment industries.
Spanning some 1102 pages the directory is divided
into colour coded sections including
Agents, Talent, Record and Radio, Film and Tv,
Organiser/Managers, Concerts, Conferences, Exhibition,
Support services, Manufacturers, Madia, Publicity,
Internet Services, Organisations, and Venues. Each
listing then typically details company/organisation name,
address, phone number, fax, website and email.
The White Book is accompanied by a more
portable Little White Book about the size
of a pocket dictionary which includes a concise,
alpabetical list of names, telephone numbers, and email
addresses taken from its chunkier parent. In addition and
of considerably more use, those that purchase the book
also recieve access to The White Book website, an
extremely valuable asset to anybody in the industry. By
logging into the digital directory, one can search for
entries across categories, company name, and location.
These searches then produce listing for anyone
looking for suppliers, agents, venues etc.
The directory also proves a useful career
development resource to the more pro active job seeker
who can find potential employers of interest by
searching service offered or geographic
location.
At £90 The White Book is not the
cheapest read but remains the most comprehensive industry
directory currently in existence, and once purchased can
be shared amonst friends or colleagues. However
readers must be aware that to feature in
The White Book is by no means an
assurance of quality. Research must still be undertaken
as entries for a well respected multi national
appear no differently to that of a local cowboy or one
man band. This task is not made easier
by the book's failure to provide static
web links (it's a case of cut and
paste) to each listing in the digital
directory.
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