Lagardere reported complete results for the first six months of their fiscal year today (having already reported preliminary sales in July). The publishing division’s EBIT was 112 million euros, up by 61% from last year, on sales of 1.009 billion euros. The company congratulates itself on their “excellent performance” and exudes that it was “all the more remarkable given that the publishing sector is actually contracting slightly in all the markets where we operate.” (Indeed the parent company took a total of 332 million euros in impairment, amortization and restructuring charges during the period.) In the first quarter, out of […]
Archives for August 2009
EU Begins Consultation on Future of Digitized Books
Europeana, the EU’s digital library, has more than doubled its collection of digital books, maps, photographs and other items since its November 2008 inception and with projections of up to 10 million by 2010, the European Commission has opened up a public inquiry on the future challenges for book digitisation in Europe and the need to reform copyright framework that runs until November 15. In a statement, Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media “finds it alarming” that Europeana makes only 5% of all digitized books available, with much of those works from a single country. Other issues […]
E-News: Sony Reader in Europe, Frustration with Kindle Licenses, and More
WHSmith and Waterstone’s appear to be heading towards a price war on Sony Readers once the latter retailer’s exclusive period ends on September 17th. Waterstone’s will be selling the new Sony Reader – Touch for £249.99, however the WHS website is selling it for £219. With the Sony Reader – Pocket Waterstone’s is taking pre-orders for £179.99 whereas WHS is offering it at £159.The Bookseller But don’t expect the Daily Edition, Sony’s touchscreen wireless reader, to be available in the UK anytime soon. Sony did confirm it will be sold there, but that it may take “a year or two.”PC […]
People and Announcements
Clara Heyworth has joined Verso Publishing as Marketing Manager. Previously she was at Melville House as its Publicist, and started her career at Verso UK’s offices. Will Powers, design and production manager for Minnesota Historical Society Press, died on August 25 of a heart attack. He was 63.PW obit University Presses in the UK (with the exception of Cambridge and Oxford) have joined forces to create a formal association through which they can cut costs, share skills and lobby the government.The Bookseller The longlist for the Guardian First Book Award includes debut works by Rief Larsen, Samantha Harvey and Ali […]
Canadian Publisher Kunati Books Has Ceased Operations
Two years after being named Publisher of the Year by ForeWord Magazine, Kunati Books has closed for business. Publisher Derek Armstrong confirmed in a brief telephone conversation this morning that the company has begun winding down its operations and letting authors know of the situation. “It’s an orderly and friendly wind-down,” Armstrong said, who singled out that the difficult economic climate made it a “bad time for business.” He also indicated that further information would be available in a week or so but promised that authors would have the rights to their work revert back fully to them. Cheryl Kaye […]
Bloomsbury Stays Confident Despite "Difficult" First Half
Blaming “difficult markets” – not to mention the absence of any Harry Potter title – Bloomsbury’s sales and profits declined considerably in the first half of 2009. Sales dropped 25% in the UK to £22.2m, and profit fell almost 50% to £1.7m, though Bloomsbury’s specialist publishing business saw sales growth of 34%, overtaking its children’s business in size for the first time. Revenue for the first six months was £35.3m compared to £42.1m in 2008. Profit before investment income and amortisation of intangible assets was £1.2m, compared with £3.5m a year earlier. Bloomsbury’s adult trade business saw sales fall 20% […]