At the official opening press conference for the Frankfurt Book Fair today, show director Juergen Boos noted that “the economic crisis has also left its mark on the Book Fair: particularly our colleagues from the English- speaking world have reduced exhibition space due to economic developments. Eastern European exhibitors are also not present in the same numbers as last year.” But overall exhibition space is down just 2 percent this year, and Boos told the Fair’s own Publishing Perspectives more bluntly, “If you’re talking about an economic crisis, then you have to talk about an economic crisis hitting American and […]
Book Fairs
More Mistakes as Frankfurt "Forgets" to Tell Chinese Delegation that Dissidents Would Get the Podium
It’s hard to tell if the Frankfurt Book Fair is practicing extremely subtle diplomacy in a difficult situation or simply bungling the reconciliation of China as guest of honor with the presence of Chinese dissidents. On Friday Fair director Juergen Boos “announced” in his second letter of apology on the Fair’s web site that dissidents Dai Qing and Bei Ling would indeed “come to Frankfurt and will participate in the symposium.” When the two were given the podium at the beginning of the symposium on Saturday, the official Chinese delegation walked out. In a third posted letter of apology, Boos […]
Frankfurt Addresses China Symposium Controversy
Frankfurt Book Fair director Juergen Boos has posted two letters on the fair’s web site regarding the handling of this weekend’s pre-Fair two-day academic symposium, China and the World – Perceptions and Realities. He writes in the newest posting, “I very much regret and am personally angered by the fact that it has come to this in the run-up to the event – to unnecessary mistakes and compromises in the organization and communication of the symposium on our part. This has also led to misunderstandings and agitation in the public debate.” Boos adds, “I assure you that the Frankfurt Book […]
Children's Publishers Withold Payments from Bologna Book Fair
Th Bologna Book Fair plans to scale back the 2010 edition to three days (March 23-25) and that has children’s book publishers very unhappy. The Bookseller reports that a group of up to ten publishers are refusing to confirm their booking or make payment until the fair organisers agree to extend the fair back to four days or to reduce the exhibitor’s fees by 25%. A meeting will take place next week between the PA and the Bologna fair organisers to try to resolve the situation.The Bookseller
Random House Passes On Frankfurt Party
Following reports we heard from the international community earlier this week, Random House spokesman Stuart Applebaum confirms that the traditional Thursday night party in Frankfurt in conjunction with the book fair, held jointly by Random House and Bertelsmann’s Direct Group, will not be convened this year. Applebaum notes, “This party always has been the financial responsibility of the two companies, whose ceos made this determination. For Random House, this course of action is consistent with our not hosting any coporate social events this spring at the LBF or BEA. We’ve been informing many of our longstanding invited international guests of […]
New Digital Book Conference Set for January, with Shatzkin As Chair
F+W Media, the publishing company focused on core enthusiast communities, is launching a two-day conference focused on “the radically changing commercial environment for consumer book publishers and their trading partners” next January 26 and 27 in New York at the Sheraton. Consultant, entrepreneur and longtime analyst of digital change Mike Shatzkin is leading the programming as conference chair, and he has recruited an advisory board that includes Richard Curtis, Jeff Gomez, Ami Greko, Mark Gompertz, John Ingram, Maja Thomas, Tom Turvey, and many others. Envisioned as an event by, of and for trade publishers, the new conference’s goal is to […]