The failure of a recent bid to merge two large publishing companies shines a light on a central issue of cultural powerDespite a rise in self-publishing, commercial publishers are still the main gatekeepers of what arrives on our bookshelves. As such, they have great cultural and – if a book takes off – economic power. A case decided in a US court this week provided an insight into just how much of that power is now concentrated in a small handful of multinational companies.At issue was a planned merger of Simon & Schuster with Penguin Random House (PRH) – two of the so-called big five, which between them control 90% of the US publishing market, a fact not always obvious to the casual observer, as books usually carry on their spines the names of imprints, or subdivisions, of the parent company. PRH, itself the result of a mega-merger in 2013, runs about 300 imprints. Given the reach of these companies – PRH is active in more than 20 countries – the Department of Justice’s successful argument that the planned $2.2bn deal would “exert outsized influence over which books are published in the United States and how much authors are paid for their work” applies globally. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2022-11-04 18:25:28 UTC ]
Jonathan Karp, who took the helm at Simon & Schuster after the loss of its formidable former c.e.o. Carolyn Reidy, reveals how he intends to navigate the pandemic, a Penguin Random House takeover, and US politics Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-11 15:06:22 UTC ]
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Simon & Schuster is to publish Falling by T J Newman, after a two-book global deal secured for a seven-figure sum. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-08 11:43:12 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House UK is to publish four books from Amanda Gorman, the youngest presidential inaugural poet in US history, including a special edition of “The Hill We Climb” which she read at Joe Biden's inauguration. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-08 03:19:06 UTC ]
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Today the Associated Press reported that Hunter Biden, son of famous memoirist Joe Biden, will publish a memoir of his own on April 6. The memoir will be published with Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Beautiful Things, acquired by Gallery Books in fall 2019, focuses on Biden’s... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2021-02-04 16:02:23 UTC ]
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The Authors Guild and other writers' groups in the US have written a letter to the Department of Justice to block Bertelsmann's takeover of Simon & Schuster. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-01 03:48:32 UTC ]
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Several organizations sent a letter to the Department of Justice on Friday urging it to stop Penguin Random House from purchasing Simon & Schuster. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-01-29 22:12:00 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House owner Bertelsmann has extended Thomas Rabe’s contract as chairman and c.e.o. for another five years. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-21 01:01:48 UTC ]
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Simon & Schuster severed ties with senator after Capitol attackPublisher distributes titles by conservative imprint RegneryThe rightwing Missouri senator Josh Hawley has found a publisher for a book dropped by Simon & Schuster over his role in attempting to overturn the US election on... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2021-01-18 16:02:10 UTC ]
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Class action lawsuit filed in US claims the houses have colluded with the online giant to keep prices artificially highAmazon.com and the “Big Five” publishers – Penguin Random House, Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan and Simon & Schuster – have been accused of colluding to fix ebook... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2021-01-15 13:04:33 UTC ]
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The bookseller has hired Emily Meehan as publisher and chief creative officer of Sterling Publishing in what it called part of a relaunch of its publishing division. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-01-15 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Economic uncertainty limited merger and acquisition activity in the book business last year, but there were still a number of significant transactions, including Penguin Random House's planned purchase of Simon & Schuster Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-01-15 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Patrick Nolan has been promoted to publisher of Penguin Books, among several other role changes at Penguin Random House imprint Viking Penguin. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-01-14 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House has named David Drake, Scott Shannon, Kara Welsh, and Chris Jackson to new roles with expanded responsibilities, among others. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-01-14 05:00:00 UTC ]
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In an open letter published on the company's website, PRH UK c.e.o. Tom Weldon has expressed confidence in the industry's prospects on entering a third lockdown, and revealed Penguin Random House UK is donating a further 15,000 more books to communities most affected by the coronavirus... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-12 10:23:48 UTC ]
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Simon & Schuster have cancelled Josh Hawley's book contract following Wednesday's attack on the U.S. Capitol. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2021-01-08 17:28:53 UTC ]
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On Wednesday afternoon, a mob of right-wing extremists and indignant livestreamers stormed the Capitol. Along their path, they left a note to the journalists who were covering the scene, a message that seemed a harrowing extension of a presidency marked by anti-press virulence: etched into a... Continue reading at Columbia Journalism Review
[ Columbia Journalism Review | 2021-01-08 13:30:11 UTC ]
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Simon & Schuster US has cancelled its forthcoming book from US senator Josh Hawley, following criticism of his actions in relation to the attack on the Capitol Hill building this week. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-08 08:17:19 UTC ]
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Simon & Schuster says it ‘cannot support senator after his role in what became a dangerous threat to our democracy and freedom’Publishers have cancelled a planned book by Senator Josh Hawley, who objected to Joe Biden’s presidential election win and backed baseless claims that the vote was... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2021-01-08 05:50:17 UTC ]
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Simon & Schuster has canceled its planned June publication of 'The Tyranny of Big Tech' by Sen. Josh Hawley, one of the main drivers in the Republican effort to challenge the Electoral College results that led to the attack on the Capitol on Wednesday. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-01-07 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House Children’s Books has scooped Lies Like Wildfire, the “compulsive and explosive” debut YA novel from Jennifer Lynn Alvarez. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-07 03:46:12 UTC ]
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