Wall Street seems to think that Borders can survive following a second quarter report showing weak sales but a reduced operating loss and slimmer debt-load, with shares up twenty-five percent over yesterday’s close in early trading. (That said, the stock price is still below the strike price of the options granted to Pershing Square earlier […]
Archives for August 2008
Roche Joins Harper UK
Former ceo of Borders UK David Roche will work for Harper UK on “a short term consultancy basis to provide a unique insight into our sales operation from the perspective of a real retail expert.” He reports directly to ceo Victoria Barnsley. The company is still looking for a full-time group sales and marketing director.Bookseller […]
Either Way, Tintin Gets a Top Director
Brussels’ Herge Studios caused a bit of confusion yesterday in announcing that Peter Jackson would direct the first film in a planned Tintin trilogy for Dreamworks. A representative for Steven Spielberg says that he still intends to direct the film, and a representative for Jackson agrees. Jackson will be a producer on the first film […]
Japan's Shrinking Publishing Business
The Japan Times looks at the long-term trend of a shrinking publishing business in Japan. (Note carefully that they include books, magazines and manga together in a single category.) With sales of approximately $18.365 billion annually (2.08 trillion yen) sales are falling about three percent a year, and are down 21 percent since 1996. Readership […]
Virgin Books Closes NY Comics Office
Virgin Books’ Comics unit–a partnership with India-based comics publisher Gotham Entertainment–will close its New York office and reorganize. Eight people have been laid off, citing the “the current macro-economic downturn,” but the companies hope to set up a new office in Los Angeles. Reuters notes: “The company launched in 2006 with Virgin Group chief Richard […]
Designers Craft Digital Print Demo Book
Are you curious about the printing capabilities of digital printing? Prof. Frank Philippin at Hochschule Darmstadt in Germany and British designer James Goggin worked with graphic design students in a two-day workshop to create DEAR LULU, a test book that “acts as a calibration document for testing color, pattern, format, texture and typography. Exercises in […]