This Chapter has been extracted from the ONS Explanatory Notes and provides a more detailed explanation of possible activities that could fall within the SIC Codes related to the Chapter.
This division includes the publishing of books, brochures, leaflets, dictionaries, encyclopaedias, atlases, maps and charts; publishing of newspapers, journals and periodicals; directory and mailing list and other publishing, as well as software publishing.
Publishing includes the acquisition of copyrights to content (information products) and making this
content available to the general public by engaging in (or arranging for) the reproduction and distribution of this content in various forms. All the feasible forms of publishing (in print, electronic or audio form, on the internet, as multimedia products such as CD-ROM reference books etc.), except publishing of motion pictures, are included in this division.
This division excludes the publishing of motion pictures, video tapes and movies on DVD or similar media (division 59) and the production of master copies for records or audio material (division 59).
Also excluded is printing (see 18.11, 18.12) and the mass reproduction of recorded media (see 18.20)
58.1 Publishing of books, periodicals and other publishing activities
This group includes activities of publishing books, newspapers, magazines and other periodicals,
directories and mailing lists, and other works such as photos, engravings, postcards, timetables, forms,
posters and reproductions of works of art. These works are characterised by the intellectual creativity
required in their development and are usually protected by copyright.
58.11 Book publishing
This class includes the activities of publishing of books in print, electronic (CD, electronic displays etc.) or
audio form or on the Internet.
Included are:
- publishing of books, brochures, leaflets and similar publications, including publishing of dictionaries and
encyclopaedias
- publishing of atlases, maps and charts
- publishing of audio books
- publishing of encyclopaedias etc. on CD-ROM
This class excludes:
- production of globes, see 32.99
- publishing of advertising material, see 58.19
- publishing of music and sheet books, see 59.20
- activities of independent authors, see 90.03
58.12 Publishing of directories and mailing lists
This class includes the publishing of lists of facts/information (databases) that are protected in their form, but not in their content. These lists can be published in printed or electronic form.
This class includes:
- publishing of mailing lists
- publishing of telephone books
- publishing of other directories and compilations, such as case law, pharmaceutical compendia etc.
58.13 Publishing of newspapers
This class includes the publishing of newspapers, including advertising newspapers, appearing
at least four times a week. Publishing can be in print or electronic form, including on the Internet.
This class excludes:
- news agency activities, see 63.91
58.14 Publishing of journals and periodicals
58.14/1 Publishing of learned journals
This subclass includes the activities of publishing journals reporting or discussing the results of scholarly research and intended for an academic and research-based readership; they are normally peer-reviewed and the primary source of revenue is not the sale of advertisement space, but subscription. They appear less than four times a week and can be published in print or electronic form, including on the Internet.
58.14/2 Publishing of consumer, business and professional journals and periodicals
This subclass includes the activities of publishing journals and periodicals providing entertainment or lifestyle information to individuals, information within businesses or across the business community or information for trades or professions. It also includes customer magazines produced for businesses and distributed free, newsletters and the publishing of radio and television schedules. These publications appear less than four times a week and can be published in print or electronic form, including on the Internet.
58.19 Other publishing activities
This class includes:
- publishing (including on-line) of:
• catalogues
• photos, engravings and postcards
• greeting cards
• forms
• posters, reproduction of works of art
• advertising material
• other printed matter
- on-line publishing of statistics and other information
This class excludes:
- publishing of advertising newspapers, see 58.13
- on-line provision of software (application hosting and application service provisioning), see 63.11
58.2 Software publishing
58.21 Publishing of computer games
This class includes:
- publishing of computer games for all platforms
58.29 Other software publishing
This class includes:
- publishing of ready-made (non-customised) software, including translation or adaptation of non-customised
software for a particular market on own account:
• operating systems
• business and other applications
This class excludes:
- reproduction of software, see 18.20
- retail sale of non-customised software, see 47.41
- production of software not associated with publishing, including translation or adaptation of noncustomised
software for a particular market on a fee or contract basis, see 62.01
- on-line provision of software (application hosting and application service provisioning), see 63.11
For all queries related to this Chapter or any other aspect of SIC Codes, please contact the Office of National Statistics on 01329 444970 or email classifications.helpdesk@ons.gov.uk.