Authors fear the worst if Penguin owner takes over Simon & Schuster

Analysis: if Bertelsmann, owner of Penguin Random House, buys US publisher, writers expect smaller deals and less choice for readersUK watchdog investigates Penguin owner’s Simon & Schuster takeoverJokes circulated online when, in 2013, Penguin and Random House merged: would the new mega-publisher, which became the world’s biggest trade publishing group, be known as Random Penguin? Penguin House? Now, as the prosaically named Penguin Random House’s parent company Bertelsmann’s $2.17bn acquisition of Simon & Schuster comes under scrutiny in the UK, the jokes are fewer and further between.Authors have made it abundantly clear that they fear the fallout if the deal goes ahead. When it was first announced last November, the Authors Guild in the US was quick to register its objections. The acquisition, which would bring heavyweight S&S authors including Hillary Clinton, John Irving, Stephen King and Bob Woodward under the PRH umbrella in the US, would “creat[e] a huge imbalance in the US publishing industry”, it warned, calling on the US justice department to step in. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2021-03-22 23:24:23 UTC ]

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DOJ v PRH: Jonathan Karp and Stephen King Take the Stand

Day two of the DOJ's trial to block PRH from acquiring S&S featured a little star power: bestselling author Stephen King. In terms of the case before the court, however, the highlight of the day was the testimony of S&S CEO Jonathan Karp. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-08-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Stephen King testifies against $2B Penguin merger

The deal between Penguin and Simon & Schuster would weaken competition and lower author pay, he said Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2022-08-02 19:08:55 UTC ]
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‘This must be stopped’: US begins court battle against publishing giants’ merger

The justice department is seeking to block the $2.2bn merger between Penguin Random House and Simon & SchusterThe government and publishing titan Penguin Random House exchanged opening salvos in a federal antitrust trial Monday as the US seeks to block the biggest US book publisher from... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-08-01 16:24:36 UTC ]
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Robert Scudellari, Random House Art Director, Dies at 88

Robert Scudellari, who served as corporate art director at Random House in the 1970s and '80s, died on June 3. He was 88. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-08-01 04:00:00 UTC ]
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‘Fantastical claims’ and Stephen King: Penguin Random House and DOJ face off for antitrust battle

In one of the biggest antitrust showdowns of President Biden’s tenure, the Justice Department is pulling out the big guns to stop a mega-publishing merger. The Justice Department’s ambitious bid to stop Penguin Random House from buying rival publisher Simon & Schuster has started taking on... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2022-07-25 16:10:21 UTC ]
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Showdown: DOJ’s Bid to Block PRH Acquisition of S&S Is Heading to Trial

With oral arguments set to begin on August 1, the closely watched case holds major implications for a publishing industry grappling with consolidation and for government regulators facing growing calls for more vigilant antitrust enforcement. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-22 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Stephen King, Andrew Solomon, and a bunch of agents are set to testify in the PRH antitrust trial.

The federal government’s civil suit to block the acquisition of Simon & Schuster by Penguin Random House is chugging along, with the trial set to begin on August 1. Exhibits to the joint pretrial motion, filed July 15, included lists of witnesses for both sides. Witnesses for both sides... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-07-20 16:13:34 UTC ]
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Book Riot’s Deals of the Day for July 20, 2022

Today’s edition of Daily Deals is sponsored by Random House Canada - read A Town Called Solace in paperback.`Random House Canada - read A TOWN CALLED SOLACE in... Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-07-20 11:15:54 UTC ]
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At Simon & Schuster, Jonathan Karp Announces Dana Canedy’s Departure

The publisher of the Simon & Schuster imprint, Dana Canedy, is leaving to write her memoir's sequel, which S&S is to publish in 2024. The post At Simon & Schuster, Jonathan Karp Announces Dana Canedy’s Departure appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-07-19 21:52:50 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House put up billboards displaying the work of LGBTQ authors in Texas and Florida.

In the midst of a deluge of book bans across the country, Penguin Random House has erected billboards featuring quotes from books by LGBTQ authors in six cities—New York City, Chicago, Dallas, Orlando, Miami and Austin. Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law and Texas’ anti-trans youth healthcare bills... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-07-19 14:46:40 UTC ]
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Dana Canedy to Step Down at Simon & Schuster

On July 27, exactly two years to the date since she took over S&S's flagship imprint, Dana Canedy will step down from her position as senior v-p and publisher. Her predecessor, S&S president and CEO Jonathan Karp, will lead the imprint "for the foreseeable future." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Deals: Week of July 11, 2022

Random House buys a memoir about alcoholism and family, and Irish novelist Joseph O’Connor sells a historical trilogy to Europa. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
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How TikTok Became a Best Seller Machine

#BookTok, where enthusiastic readers share reading recommendations, has gone from being a novelty to becoming an anchor in the publishing industry and a dominant driver of fiction sales. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-07-01 13:38:09 UTC ]
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Book Deals: Week of July 4, 2022

Random House picks up a new novel by Salman Rushdie and a leadership guide by Bob Iger, Europa signs a British debut, and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-01 04:00:00 UTC ]
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S&S Launches Banned Books Promotion for Bookstores

In response to growing book censorship, Simon & Schuster has launched a “Read banned books!” promotion that provides information on challenged titles, in-store displays, and social media materials. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-06-30 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Frederick Douglass Books, a new imprint, will publish nonfiction by writers of color.

Forefront Books and the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives are teaming up to form Frederick Douglass Books, a publishing imprint meant to “establish a pathway for Black and Brown authors” into the publishing industry, the two organizations announced in a press release last week. The imprint... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-06-16 13:04:40 UTC ]
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Obituary: Lisa Hill

Long-time book sales representative Lisa Hill, a veteran of Random House and S&S, died on June 9 at Hospice of W. Kentucky from a short illness. She was 60. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-06-14 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Unseen works by ‘queen of gothic fiction’ Shirley Jackson published

Two previously unseen short stories by Jackson, rated by Stephen King as one of the great horror fiction writers, are to appear in US magazine the StrandTwo previously unpublished short stories by Shirley Jackson, the queen of gothic fiction, have been released.Charlie Roberts and Only Stand and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-06-09 14:05:30 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House to Distribute for Disney Publishing

Starting next April 1, Penguin Random House Publisher Services will take over distribution of the adult and children’s print books published by Disney Publishing Worldwide. Under the agreement, PRHPS will also take on distribution of Marvel Publishing’s collected editions and graphic novels to... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-06-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Post Hill Press Starts New Imprint, Twin Flame

The imprint, which will publish nonfiction titles in the spirituality, relationships, and sexuality categories, is led by editorial director Elena Vega, who formerly worked as an editor for Macmillan and Simon & Schuster. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-06-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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