http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2010/03/self-publishing-author-services-open-floodgates-for-writers060.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+pbs%2Fmediashift-blog+%28mediashift-blog%29

I found this article on the page of the last one (talk about methods of research) and followed to much delight.  It discusses the ways in which self publishing have opened up multiple channels as well as how savvy businesses have co-opted the term self publishing in their style and branding to find customers.

The article focus specific attention on a collaboration of writers who put all their money together and created their own small time press to create and sale their book and doubled their money as a result.  It goes on to show that they eventually sold the small press, but have seen little success out of it since.  It is something that I'm noting more and more with the book industry.  The big companies seem to be making their money off of the known writers where as emerging writers are having to find alternate routes to success.

Personally I'm very curious to see how this will continue to evolve over the coming years.