Penguin Random House Audio today launched a voiceover casting platform, Ahab, to make it easier for audio content creators to hire voice actors. Ahab was originally developed as an internal tool at PRH, first used in the US and then adopted by PRH audio teams internationally. Now its creators, svp of content production Dan Zitt and senior manager of digital production platforms Julie Wilson, are opening its use to the public. “Ahab has been an invaluable tool for our team, both to streamline the casting process and to expand our talent pool,” says Dan Zitt, co-creator of Ahab and SVP of content […]
New Books Publishing March 2
This week brings new fiction from Kazuo Ishiguro, Sister Souljah, and Danielle Steel, as well as four titles that were featured in our Buzz Books: Gregory Brown’s The Lowering Days, Viet Thanh Nguyen’s The Committed, Sarah Penner’s The Lost Apothecary, and Safia Elhillo’s Home Is Not a Country (YA). Meanwhile, Isabel Allende and Anne Lamott anchor the week’s nonfiction list. 26 new works of fiction https://bookshop.org/lists/new-fiction-publishing-march-2 https://shop.aer.io/publishers_lunch/cl/New_Fiction_Publishing_March_/219038 7 new nonfiction titles https://bookshop.org/lists/new-nonfiction-publishing-march-2 https://shop.aer.io/publishers_lunch/cl/New_Nonfiction_Publishing_March_/219040 29 new children’s and YA titles this month https://bookshop.org/lists/new-children-s-titles-publishing-in-march https://shop.aer.io/publishers_lunch/cl/New_Childrens_Titles_Publishing_in_March/219037 We consult a number of sources in compiling our weekly lists and PM members can see our lists for the […]
Lagardere Signals Openness to a “Change in Sponsorship”
While announcing Lagardere’s annual results last week, ceo Arnaud Lagardere dangled the possibility of a change to the corporate structure of his company, which is currently controlled by Lagardere’s private holding company. During the Q&A for analysts, Lagardere explained that no decision had been made regarding a sale or change of sponsorship: “I’m the one in charge, absolutely no decision has been made at this stage.” But, he added, “the change of sponsorship has always been an option,” conditioned on a return to “peaceful relations among the shareholders.” He added, “Maybe we are going towards that.” Lagardere is referring to […]
HMH Trade 2020 Sales Up Due to Licensing Fees; No News on Potential Sale
HMH reported earnings for the recent quarter and full year, with fourth quarter sales of $204 million, down from $241 million, or 16 percent. The quarterly net loss was $(83) million, better than the $(125) million loss last year, including an impairment charge for goodwill of $17 million for the quarter (impairment totaled $279 million for the year), “a direct result of the adverse impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on our company.” For the year, sales were $1.03 billion, down from $1.39 billion, with a net loss of $(480) million, down from $(214) million. At HMH Books & Media, […]
McGraw Hill Reports Sales Down, Earnings Up in Third Fiscal Quarter
McGraw Hill reported results for their fiscal third quarter ended December 31, 2020, with sales of $363 million, compared to $365 million the previous period. Improvements in higher ed and K-12 were not enough to offset declining sales in the international and global professional businesses. Earnings improved, as adjusted EBITDA registered $565,000, compared to a loss of $(24) million, while net income was $18 million compared to a loss of $(40) million. Operating and administration expenses were substantially reduced, to $198 million compared to $255 million last year. About half of the savings were attributed to “strategic headcount reductions,” Covid-related […]
New Books Publishing February 23
This week, a smaller selection of new books publishing includes Jennifer Ryan’s The Kitchen Front, a Library Reads selection, as well as a new biography of Tom Stoppard by Hermione Lee. 9 new works of fiction https://bookshop.org/lists/new-fiction-publishing-february-23 https://shop.aer.io/publishers_lunch/cl/New_Fiction_Publishing_February_/218851 new nonfiction titles https://bookshop.org/lists/new-nonfiction-publishing-february-23 https://shop.aer.io/publishers_lunch/cl/New_Nonfiction_Publishing_February_/218852 We consult a number of sources in compiling our weekly lists and PM members can see our lists for the coming three months through this reference page. But if you want to make sure your key titles are on our radar, now you can use this form to submit brief details as well: publun.ch/submitNotable. Please submit your notable titles at least […]