On Friday we highlighted two pre-trial disputes: The DOJ trying to exclude discussion of PRH’s pledge to have Simon & Schuster mostly bid independently after the merger, and PRH trying to block the DOJ from presenting a broader case than what was in their original complaint, extending to look at PRH and Bertelsmann’s influence in the limited market for book printing. Weekend filings shed a little more light on both issues. While the DOJ’s full response on the book printing issue was filed under seal, PRH’s reply quotes from the sealed document (go figure), underscoring the emphasis Justice may want […]
Archives for July 2022
PRH UK To Restructure Audiences, Brand and Communications Departments
Penguin Random House UK is in the mandated consultation period with employees as they work on a “restructure” for its audience, brand and communications departments, currently made up of around 80 employees. Specific layoffs have not yet been announced, and the company said that the current plan is provisional, The Bookseller reports, though “social media posts have suggested more than 20 roles are affected.” A spokesperson for the publisher said, “We are exploring making some changes to the structure of our audiences, brand and communications department at Penguin Random House UK, with the aim of driving online sales, investing in […]
August Library Reads
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood is the #1 Library Reads pick for August.
August Indie Next List
The ABA named its Indie Next list for August with The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford as its top pick.
Obituary: Sophie Castille
Sophie Castille, 51, director of Mediatoon Foreign Rights as well as co-founder and managing director of Europe Comics, died on July 11. A tribute page has been set up for friends and colleagues to contribute memories.
ABA Discusses Free Speech, E-Commerce Updates at Annual Meeting
The American Booksellers Association Annual Meeting and Town Hall was presented via Zoom yesterday, with board members and ceo Allison Hill sharing updates on the organization and fielding questions. In her president’s letter, Word bookstores owner Christine Onorati said, “Running our own businesses seems to get harder every single day,” she said. “And yet we are all committed to continuing the momentum for change that has begun and to make this a model that being guided by values and striving for success in business are not mutually exclusive concepts. We can do both. And we are trying to do exactly […]