News Corp. has announced that Bedi Singh will step down as chief financial officer on March 1. Susan Panuccio, currently cfo of News Corp. Australia, will succeed him. Executive chairman Rupert Murdoch said in the release: “Through his astute financial management of key acquisitions and divestitures, and with the prudent institution of cost controls across the businesses, Bedi has helped News Corp. weather the challenges of this era better than its peers, and put it on firm footing for long-term growth and profitability.” Singh, who has served as cfo since 2013, will continue to advise the company on digital property interests […]
eNews
Kobo Plus eBook Subscription Service Launches In Holland and Belgium
Kobo has launched an ebook subscription service, called Kobo Plus, in Holland and Belgium, jointly created with their local partner, the online bookseller bol.com. Priced at €9.99 per month (with a one-month free trial), the services promises unlimited access to 16,000 titles in Dutch and over 40,000 titles in all, “with considerable growth expected in the coming months.” Those titles come from major publishers — ceo of Dutch publisher WPG Patrick Swart is quoted in the press release — as well as Kobo’s self-publishing initiative. Indeed, Kobo says the service “was developed in close collaboration with leading Dutch publishers” and is […]
Next to Close: Samhain Publishing
Nearly a year ago ebook publisher Samhain Publishing had told authors via email that it was “beginning the process of winding down due to our market share’s continuing decline” and “approaching the point where we cannot sustain our business.” Christina Brashear had written, “I won’t drag this out any longer than I have to, but it isn’t going to be something that will be wrapped up in the next six months.” Then in mid-2016 Brashear sent another notice claiming that after layoffs and adjustments it was “not liquidating its business or winding up its affairs” and would “stay fully operational” — but the original dispatch was […]
People, Etc.
Soumeya Bendimerad Roberts has joined Hannigan Salky Getzler Agency as agent and rights director. She will be focusing on her literary fiction, narrative non-fiction list, and young adult list. Roberts was most recently an agent at Writers House. In addition, Leigh Eisenman and Tanusri Prasanna have both been promoted to agent. Eisenman will be growing her practical non-fiction and literary/upmarket fiction list, and Prasanna will focus on picture books, middle grade, and young adult titles. At Holloway Literary, Kortney Price has been promoted to associate agent. Susan Rella recently joined Melville House as managing editor. Previously she was managing editor at Gallery. […]
Barnes & Noble Officially Recalls 147,000 Nook Tablet 7-Inch Chargers
Working the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Barnes & Noble has formally recalled the power adapter sold with their recently-introduced Nook Tablet 7-inch model. The bookseller stopped selling the tablet in early January after a few (now four) reports of “the adapter casing breaking apart while still in the socket” and recommended informally that customers stop using the charger while they investigated further. Under the recall, BN will replace the potentially fault units and provide customers with a $5 BN gift certificate (along with a prepaid shipping label to return the chargers). The company says the recall affects “about 147,000” units — the first […]
Digital: Shelfie Shutters, Radish Raises
Shelfie, the ebook bundling app that provided users with ebooks to go along with some of the print books they already own, told users with almost no notice that the service will close today. Founded as BitLit, the Vancouver-based company had received seed funding former Kobo ceo Michael Serbinis among others. In contrast, mobile app-based short-form serialized fiction platform Radish formally announced having raised $3 million in seed financing from funders including UTA, Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments, and Amy Tan, among others. Larry Kirshbaum is serving as a senior adviser.