Digital director and publisher at Bloomsbury Publishing Stephanie Duncan leaves the company this week: “I’ve loved working at Bloomsbury, it’s been challenging, fun and great to work with such brilliant colleagues, authors and books. After over twenty years here, it’s time for me to do something new, somewhere new.” She oversaw the first official Harry Potter website, Bloomsbury’s global ebook operations and the digital-first imprint Bloomsbury Reader. She can be reached at stephanie@duncan.uk.com Arcadia Publishing has hired Shane Hennigan as sales specialist; and Ashley Hill and Hayley Behal as production editors for History Press. Katelyn Jenkins returns to Arcadia as acquisitions […]
Audio
Briefs: Realignments, Initiatives, and More
Realigning Two UK publishers announced internal realignments. Ebury is adding “self” and “lifestyle/BBC” publishing “hubs” to the smart and entertainment hubs they created earlier this year — and now publicity and marketing are being brought closer together. It seems publicity is now called “campaigns,” with Joanna Bennett promoted to head of campaigns for the Smart hub, Tessa Henderson is head of campaigns for Entertainment; Stephanie Naulls has that position for Lifestyle/BBC; and they are recruiting someone for self. Separately, marketing becomes a Marketing, Insight & Digital centre (not a hub, or even a spoke), and will “share new digital resources […]
In Sweden, Bonnier and Storytel’s Standoff Over Audio Compensation
Swedish publisher Bonnier and the leading digital audiobook service in Scandinavia Storytel have been in a dispute since April — when Bonnier started withholding their new release audiobooks from Storytel, most prominently with the release of Camilla Lackberg’s latest novel. In a posted FAQ, Bonnier said they were retaliating after Storytel started “hid[ing] all the books from the Bonnier publishers in their book tips and category lists” in March. “When Storytel prevents its listeners from finding our books for authors, we need to make sure that the game board changes. We regret that this affects the listeners and hopes for […]
Chronicle Books to Add Audio Line
Chronicle Books is the latest independent publisher to add an audiobook line, starting with four titles this spring and intending to release 10 to 15 “select nonfiction” titles a season, simultaneous with print book publication. Chronicle Prism managing director Mark Tauber oversees Chronicle Audio as well. As with their print book, Hachette Book Group will distribute the audiobooks as well, through Hachette Audio. Tauber says in the announcement, “As we begin to publish the audio versions of these books that our team works so hard to shape, edit, make, and market, we are very pleased to be extending and building […]
People, Etc.
Michael Gentile has been promoted to vice president, education sales and marketing, Penguin Random House, expanding his role to include oversight of education sales across all children’s and adult divisions. On the children’s side, he will report to to Felicia Frazier, senior vice president, children’s and education sales, and on the adult side to Kim Shannon, senior vice president, adult retail and education sales. Whitney Aaronson joins Random House Children’s as senior product manager for the digital marketing team. She previously worked for Simmons Research as UX product manager. Rob Roglev joins as senior developer for the digital marketing team. He […]
Audible to Settle Lawsuit with Up to 12 Million Free Audiobooks
Audible could issue as many as 12 million free audiobooks and reimburse up to 8.4 million customers for overdraft fees to fulfill the settlement terms of two recent class action lawsuits. The plaintiffs in Grant McKee et al. v. Audible, Inc. and Eric Weber and Bryan Rees v. Amazon.com, Inc., and Amazon Services LLC claim that Audible failed to communicate to customers that unredeemed credits are lost when an account cancels, and that gift membership credits expire when the gift membership does. As well, plaintiff McKee argued that the credits are a form of gift certificate, which federal banking laws requires to […]