Let's start by talking about cinema and then we'll get to books. The year 1948 was a busy one in Hollywood: it was the year of the Paramount Decree, which regulated the production-distribution-exhibition chain for decades and dismantled the studio system in the film industry. The studio system was the business model developed by the major studios, known as majors –that is, Warner, Paramount, Universal, etc.–. The fact is that in 1948 this decree arrived as a result of a case against Paramount that was settled in the Supreme Court of the United States. The decree established, among other things, that producers of a film could also distribute it themselves, but they could not own the theaters where it would be shown. We could say that it decreed a kind of separation of powers in the field of cinema. Why? Because what they were doing –vertical integration– was a monopolistic practice that limited and stifled independent cinema. What happened when the antitrust ban came into effect? The number of theaters showing independent films grew, and independent production companies that worked without interference from major studios proliferated (other things too: the relaxation of the Hays self-censorship code, for example). In short, the decree was the beginning of the end of the studio system, the end of the system that put control and power in the hands of the strong, in short, lifelong bully politics. The decree was in effect until 2020 (!), although Disney had already disregarded it before: with streaming platforms, everything has become a bit complicated (Netflix is not a movie theater, but it is a distribution channel, etc.). Once repealed, studios can not only buy movie theaters but it is also legal again what is known as block booking, which is: if you want to have the good movie, you also have to take a couple of duds, which, at least when I studied audiovisual, was the norm in television channels when buying movies "in packages". The result of this practice is evident: the quality of the content is lowered; well, we already know that quality is not usually the objective of big cultural businesses.The dangers of excessive concentration

But this is Llegim and we have to talk about books, right? Well, the fact is that the other day I went into an Abacus store and I was a little horrified. The special display areas (that is, those that are most visible and, therefore, most coveted: the ends of tables, wall displays, etc.) were mostly books from the Abacus Futur group. This, which perhaps should make me happy because I have published a micro-essay with them, made me rather sad, and the Paramount Decree immediately came to mind. Abacus has 44 stores (according to AI: I couldn't find it on their website), and yes, I know, Planeta also has its network of bookstores (La Casa del Llibre, with 75 bookstores) and Anagrama (La Central, only 5). Besides, Planeta and Penguin Random House (PRH) have their own distributor. Planeta's case goes a step further in vertical integration, as it also owns several media outlets. But it seems that in this country nobody really cares about excessive concentration as long as the money flows. The fact is that if you alone produce and distribute and sell and advertise books, perhaps you create unfavorable conditions for independent production. Let's return to the United States for a moment. Five years ago there was an uproar because Penguin Random House threatened to buy Simon & Schuster, one of its great rivals, and the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit: they feared that the PRH conglomerate, if it went ahead with the acquisition, would have undue influence on the books published in the U.S. and on writers' compensation. Even Stephen King went to testify, and said: “I’m here because I think concentration is bad for competition.” The acquisition was prohibited because the judge considered that the sale would substantially harm competition. Where does free trade end? Where do monopolistic practices begin? All in all, it also makes me think of the associations of writers and translators that for years have been refraining from publishing recommended fees for fear of getting into trouble (after a notorious case with the association of tourist guides). Does what competition laws establish end up constraining (harming?) more the individuals who work alone and have no bargaining power against large groups than the business monsters that monopolize the market?

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Abacus has put an end to the business transformation that began three years agoAnd it has done so with a record turnover of €143 million in 2025 and an EBITDA of €6.8 million. During this period, the cooperative has increased its turnover by 50% and diversified its business lines. Besides bookstores (which account for 63.9% of turnover) and services in schools (which represent 21.2%), Abacus incorporated in 2024 the editorial seals of Grup Enciclopèdia and those of Jaume Roures (representing 6.3%) under the name Abacus Futur. It also has a branch dedicated to magazines and audiovisual content, Abacus Mèdia (totaling 8.6%). "With Abacus Futur, we've brought together three publishing businesses that came from different places. The process has been complex and ambitious, but we're happy and anticipate a very good Sant Jordi's Day for us," says Abacus's CEO, Oriol Soler, who has indicated that he is negotiating further acquisitions in the publishing sector. In the bookstore sector, the cooperative manages 44 stores in the Catalan Countries, supplies books and toys to 60 Estallidos (a local bookstore chain), sells materials to schools, and owns 51% of Llibreria 22 in Girona. Overall, it holds a 13% market share in Catalonia. Looking ahead, the company has no plans to open new stores, but it does intend to gradually acquire ownership of the premises it already operates. The challenges in this branch of the business are, above all, to grow in terms of e-commerce and close the gap with its main competitors, Amazon and La Casa del Libro. "This year we've had a turnover of 10 million euros. We should be at 20 or 30 million; there's still room for growth," says Soler. Within this line of business, Abacus has initiated a collaborative project with independent bookstoresto guarantee its survival. The first was Librería 22 in Girona, of which it acquired 51% ownership. Through this establishment, the cooperative has also begun to support the Quart Creixent bookstore in Palma.

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The building at 4 Peu de la Creu Street, in Barcelona's Raval neighborhood, has memory and culture glued to its walls. For years, it housed the offices of Edicions 62, until it left and the headquarters of the Democratic Memorial moved there in 2015. The institution left the building in 2023 Because their lease was running out, they needed a more suitable space for exhibitions. After a complete renovation, the editorial and audiovisual content creation branches of Abacus, which the cooperative groups under the nameAbacus Futur"We're taking another step forward in the history of Abacus, remaining faithful to the legacy of our founders but at the same time renewing ourselves to respond to the challenges posed by education and culture," said Abacus president Maravillas Rojo during the inauguration of the space. The building, which will house around 100 people, was named Casa Abacus and aims to be "a house full of culture in the heart of Raval."

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