Books world alarmed by Pearson's sale of stake in Penguin Random House

Management have moved to reassure staff and writers that selling the 47% holding will not affect business, but authors and agents express uneaseAuthors and staff have reacted cautiously to news that Pearson is to sell its stake in Penguin Random House (PRH), the world’s biggest publisher and home to some of the most successful brands in books, among them Fifty Shades of Grey, Jamie Oliver and The Girl on the Train.PRH moved quickly to address fears among staff that the sale of the 47% share to German-owned Bertelsmann would affect jobs. In a statement, global chief executive Markus Dohle promised it would be “business as usual for us”. He added: “Both Pearson and Bertelsmann continue to be very supportive of our strategy and our success, and both have been valued shareholders for us.” Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #fifty shades #jamie oliver

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Media Decoder: Confusion Over a Book About Harper Lee

The author of a forthcoming book about the ever-private Harper Lee, author of "To Kill a Mockingbird," insisted on Friday that she had the cooperation of Ms. Lee, two days after Ms. Lee released a statement through her lawyer denying that she had cooperated. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-04-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin to publish slow news title

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 28/04/2011 - 08:00 Viking has been scanning the local papers and choosing the most eyebrow-raising headlines—often for all the wrong reasons—in a tribute to the quirky world of slow news days. Whitstable Mum in Custard Shortage . . And... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #local papers #local newspapers


iPad users may not become book readers, report finds

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 28/04/2011 - 08:00 A large proportion of iPad owners in the US have not used the device to read an ebook, a survey from media and publishing forecast firm Simba Information reveals. A report on the firm's "Trade E-Book Publishing 2011"... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #read ebooks #book readers #report finds #survey respondents #large proportion #ipad owners


Creating an E-book: Tips on Document Formatting

After years of marginal acceptance, ebooks have finally started to eclipse their printed-and-bound ancestors. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E-books among Amazon.co.uk's top sellers as its parent's profits tumble

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Wed, 27/04/2011 - 09:39 Amazon.com has reported a steep drop in profit despite boosting sales by over a third. Amazon.co.uk also revealed that one print book and four ebooks were among its top 10 bestselling items in the quarter, with the Kindle... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #top sellers #steep drop #boosting sales #print book


Penguin USA sets up home in BookCountry for slush-pile

Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Wed, 27/04/2011 - 08:40 Penguin USA is to launch a community website for genre writers called Book Country (bookcountry.com). The site began a public beta test this week and describes itself as "a place where readers and writers of genre fiction... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #community website #genre fiction


ABC News High On Enhanced E-books

In deciding to launch the ABC Video Bookstore, Andrew Morse said the giant media company was looking for a product that could reach viewers who are attached to a digital reading device, be it an iPad, Kindle, or cellphone, and decided that an enhanced ebook was the right one. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #enhanced e-books #andrew morse #enhanced ebook


The Big Children's Books of BEA

Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle and James Dashner's the Maze Runner trilogy are both drawing to a conclusion, while noteworthy collaborations from Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman, and Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, set sail. Also look for fresh ventures from William Joyce, Maggie... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A Mix That Includes Fewer Books

One of the industry's biggest issues in 2011 is the loss of retail shelf space for print titles. The trend of book retailers devoting less space—and generating lower sales—from new books is seen in the recently released 10-k filings from Books-A-Million and Hastings Entertainment. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Major Campaign for Special K Book

Special K is a $1 billion brand in the U.S., selling an estimated 168 million boxes of cereal a year. This spring, Kellogg's and Weldon Owen are hoping a massive marketing campaign can extend the brand's success into the book world. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kindle Books to Be Loaned From Libraries Later This Year

Amazon said Wednesday that its popular Kindle e-reader will allow customers to borrow Kindle books from more than 11,000 U.S. libraries starting later this year. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Building a Business on Content Sales

The appeal of paid content is growing. Last month, The New York Times embarked on one of the largest tests yet around paid content, introducing a subscription plan for the heaviest users of its site. The plan offers three digital subscription options across a variety of devices. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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RHG reshuffles international sales department

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 21/04/2011 - 13:45 The Random House Group has made a series of appointments as part of a reshuffle of its international sales department, including the creation of a group sales and marketing director role for East Asia. Sales and marketing... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Cheapest E-Books Upend the Charts [Voices]

The nation's largest book publishers are facing increasing pricing pressure on the digital front as the number of cheap, self-published digital titles gain popularity with readers seeking budget-minded entertainment. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2011-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital front


Tesco UK sales rise 5.5%

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Tue, 19/04/2011 - 09:40 Tesco UK sales rose by 5.5% in a year where the company said book sales "grew well." The supermarket released its preliminary results for the 52 weeks to 26th February 2011 this morning (19th April), showing that UK sales grew... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Los Angeles Review of Books' Debuts Preview Site

In the first step of a two-phase launch, the long-awaited Los Angeles Review of Books has debuted its preview site at lareviewofbooks.org with essays and reviews by Ben Ehrenreich, Geoff Nicholson, Jane Smiley, Jefferson Hunter, and Richard Prince. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-04-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jane smiley


Another Palin Book on the Way

Howard Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, announced on Monday that on May 24, it would publish "Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin," an account of Ms. Palin's time as governor and as a vice-presidential candidate, written by Frank Bailey, one of her former aides. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sarah palin #howard books #simon schuster


Print Stumbles Early As E-Books Skyrocket

The two reports measure different aspects of the book market and one is far more comprehensive than the other, but figures released last week by Nielsen BookScan and the Association of American Publishers showed a trade market where ebooks are thriving and print books are struggling. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PBS cuts "will hit sales"

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Mon, 18/04/2011 - 09:20 Poetry publishers have united en masse to demand the Arts Council overturn its decision to stop funding the Poetry Book Society, saying the demise of the organisation would lead to a "considerable loss of sales". A total of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon launches "spring spectacular" Kindle sale

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Mon, 18/04/2011 - 09:22 Amazon.co.uk has launched a two-week Kindle ebook promotion, with Michel Faber's The Crimson Petal and the White priced £1.47. According to information sent to publishers whose books will feature, the campaign will be a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon launches #kindle store #michel faber