Bloomsbury founder and ceo Nigel Newton takes the additional role of executive chairman of the board, kicking off a five-year succession plan for leadership of the company. Newton, who is 71, will remain ceo for the next two years, at which point a new chief executive will take over. For three more years, Newton will stay on as executive chairman “to provide continuity and to support key strategic relationships to ensure a smooth and successful transition,” according to a release. He will become non-executive chairman in 2031. In addition, board chair John Bason becomes deputy chairman and “will continue to […]
Authors, OpenAI File for Summary Judgement In New York Infringement Case
All of the parties in the consolidated AI copyright infringement cases against OpenAI and Microsoft in New York’s Southern District filed motions for summary judgement. There is one set for the books plaintiffs (covered here) and another set for the news plaintiffs (led by the New York Times, not covered here). The books suit is led by the Authors Guild and named plaintiffs including David Baldacci, John Grisham, Elin Hilderbrand, Christina Baker Kline, George R.R. Martin and Jodi Picoult, first brought in late 2023. The plaintiffs declare that, “OpenAI’s GPT models pose an existential threat to those who write and […]
Publisher Errors, Agent Claims, and More in the Anthropic Settlement
After many authors highlighted incorrect claims filings from publishers in the Anthropic settlement, more issues have come to light, including claims by agents and apparent scammers. In a thorough rundown, Writer Beware lists several publishers that claimed 100 percent on works, rather than the default 50/50 split with the author. The Authors Guild posted guidance about the process, noting that some publishers say they claimed 100 percent in error. “Please note that certain publishers have informed the settlement administrator that they mistakenly selected a 100 percent allocation rather than the default option,” the AG writes. “The administrator is updating those publishers’ […]
New Books Publishing September 8
This week’s fiction releases include new novels by R. F. Kuang and Candice Carty-Williams, while nonfiction includes work by Harlan Coben, Francis Fukuyama, Alan Taylor, and Martin E. P. Seligman. 15 works of fiction https://bookshop.org/lists/new-fiction-publishing-september-8 22 works of nonfiction https://bookshop.org/lists/new-nonfiction-publishing-september-8 Also publishing this week are new books by Lynda Gratton, Eric Idle, Sheryl Lister, Emma C. Wells, Lucinda Berry, and Alexandra Benedict, all of which are excerpted in our Buzz Books 2026: Fall/Winter anthology. We consult a number of sources in compiling our weekly lists and PM members can see our lists […]
Obituary: Fred Ciporen
Publisher of Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and School Library Journal from 1988 through 2003, Fred Ciporen died on September 5. The funeral will be held on September 10, at the Plaza Jewish Community Chapel, 630 Amsterdam Avenue in New York City.
Distribution: Flame Tree
Starting January 1, 2027, Hachette Book Group will manage sales for Flame Tree across the United States, and distribution across North America (excluding Mexico and Central America). The publisher joined Hachette UK Distribution in 2023, and this new arrangement expands the relationship into North America.