In the traditionally modest European quarterly trading update style, Bertelsmann reported sales of 3.9 billion euros (up 8.5 percent from a year ago) and operating EBIT from continuing operations of 256 million euros (down 36 percent). CEO Thomas Rabe said in the release: “Our operating performance is good, and last year’s major transactions are paying off. We invested heavily in our content and services businesses in the first three months of 2014 and have made significant progress in putting our strategy into action.” Rabe also reiterated plans to invest in education, adding: “In the long-term, this sector will become a […]
People, Etc.
Tisse Takagi has teamed up with The Science Factory as an agent, based in New York, focusing on non-fiction in the areas of biography, food, and music as well as science. She was an editor at Basic Books. It’s the first appointment since Peter Tallack, who runs the agency from Hamburg, Germany, founded the company six years ago. He describes the collaboration as an exciting step in extending the company’s international reach and intellectual breadth and depth. Co-ceo of The Carlyle Group David Rubenstein will take over in October as chairman of the James Madison Council, an advisory and fundraising […]
People
At Paula Wiseman Books, Sylvie Frank has been promoted to editor. Megan Reid has been promoted to associate editor at Emily Bestler Books/Atria. World Book Night US reports that media impressions nearly tripled this year, citing Cision Media and Google Analytics reports recording 373 million media impressions in April 2014. Poet Russell Edson, 79, died April 29 in Stamford, CT after a long illness.
Inkling Closes Consumer Business to Focus on Enterprise Side; Lays Off 25 Percent of Staff
Inkling is officially closing its consumer retail business and has laid off something close to 25 percent of staff as a result. (CEO Matt MacInnis confirmed the layoffs to TechCrunch, indicating that 25 percent “was a little high.”) The company will focus on the enterprise/platform side, licensing their technology to publishers and large companies creating content for in-house use. MacInnis indicates that part of the business is performing well “and will continue hiring, he said.” MacInnis already discussed the company’s shift in a Fast Company article in March, “What Happened When A Digital Textbook Company Was Forced to Redefine Its […]
People
At Penguin Random House Audio, Louise Quayle returns to the company, as senior acquisitions editor. She was previously director of domestic rights in the Doubleday group, before moving to The Robbins Office. Catherine Bucaria was promoted to assistant acquisitions editor, and Emily Parliman was hired as assistant acquisitions editor a few weeks ago, reporting to Rebecca Waugh. Also, Stephanie Grossman joins the unit today as a marketing associate in BOT library marketing. At Simon & Schuster Children’s, Emma Ledbetter has been promoted to associate editor, Atheneum Books, while Dani Young moves up to associate editor, S&S Books for Young Readers/Atheneum/McElderry Books. […]
News Corp. to Acquire Harlequin
News Corp. will acquire Harlequin Enterprises from Torstar for C$455 million (the final price was $414 million in US dollars, net of $19 million in cash on Harlequin’s balance sheet). Harlequin will become a division of HarperCollins but will remain headquartered in Toronto. Torstar originally acquired control of Harlequin in 1975 and full ownership in 1981. Both parties said they expect the deal to close by the end of September, pending approval by regulatory bodies in both US and Canada, as well as Torstar shareholders. (It’s possible that the deal would be subject to review in other territories as well, primarily […]