Following a well-publicized “Banned Bookseller Week” protest from some bookseller customers over AbeBooks’ plan to abruptly remove booksellers in South Korea, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Russia from their platform at the end of November, the company reversed itself — to everyone’s surprise. “The matter was apparently resolved when Sally Burdon, an Australian bookseller who…
International News
People, Etc.
F+W Media has established a new standalone books group with Heidi Sachner joining as head of books (in September, according to her LinkedIn page). Most recently she had been vp, Two Rivers Distribution at the Ingram Content Group. Pam Wissman has been promoted to executive director, heading up the editorial and design teams, and Greg…
Dark Horse Sells Stake to Chinese Investor; Former Bonnier Execs Launch New Publisher; Even Kobe Bryant Is A Publisher Now
Dark Horse Comics founder and ceo Mike Richardson sold a substantial stake in the company — for what one report suggests was about $20 million — to Hong-Kong based Vanguard Visionary Assets, associated with former Walt Disney Company in Greater China chairman Stanley Cheung. Cheung joins the five-person Dark Horse Entertainment board. Richardson declined to…
WH Smith Comes to the US with InMotion Acquisition; Penguin Random Takes Majority Stake at Companhia das Letras
UK retailer WH Smith is buying Jacksonville, FL-based travel electronics retailer InMotion for $198 million. InMotion sells electronics including headphones, earbuds, mobile power and portable speakers at 43 US airports, further expanding WH Smith’s growing travel division. Perhaps more significantly, WH Smith says the acquisition will “support the launch and growth of WH Smith’s airport…
Corporate: Endeavor Looks to Buy Out Saudi Share, Graywolf Concerned About Elliott Lawsuit
As a corporate connection to Saudi Arabia becomes untenable in the eyes of many, Endeavor Content is now reported to be working on a deal to buyback the $400 million investment made in the talent and entertainment company by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund earlier in the year. “Sources say paperwork is being drawn up…
Briefs: PRH to Launch Local Line In Singapore, and More
Penguin Random House South East Asia will launch in Singapore in 2019, to “discover and publish local and international voices across English-language adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction formats for Singapore and Malaysia, as well as from Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei, and Myanmar.” Gaurav Shrinagesh, ceo of Penguin Random House India and South…