ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, appears to be expanding into the publishing business. The company has listed a number of open jobs in the “online publishing” department in recent weeks, and a ByteDance subsidiary recently filed a trademark for 8th Note Press. A spokesperson told PL that the initiative is not related to TikTok and that ByteDance is always exploring new opportunities. The trademark application states that 8th Note Press expects to offer print books, ebooks, and audiobooks in fiction and nonfiction, as well as an app to buy and read the books. Unsurprisingly, social networking is part of […]
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New York State Expected to Increase Minimum Wage
Governor Kathy Hochul announced an agreement with legislators on a new budget for the state of New York that would include increasing the minimum wage to $17 an hour by 2026 in NYC, Westchester and Long Island (rising by 2027 for the rest of the state). The reports do not indicate the effect on the earnings level for executive and administrative employees to be classified as exempt from overtime, though traditionally that level equals 75 times the hourly wage (in which case it would rise to $1,275 a week, or $66,300 a year).
HarperCollins Shutters Harper Design
HarperCollins confirmed on Friday that they are shutting down Harper Design. They said in a statement, “HarperCollins has made the strategic decision to close Harper Design. Moving forward, illustrated books will be published across the various imprints.” A representative told PL that some employees will be leaving the company, but did not specify how many.
Harper to Use Newly-Designed Font for Some Non-English Works
Harper Collins will deploy a newly-commissioned font, Harper Arc, that “was designed to improve readability” while saving space: It “will reduce the amount of paper used per title by up to 20 percent.” Starting in July, they will use the font on select non-English titles published by Harper divisions in Europe and South America. The company is also exploring using the font more broadly, including English-language titles. CEO international foreign language and chief digital officer Chantal Restivo-Alessi says in the announcement, “It promises to deliver on two important initiatives at HarperCollins: improving readability and sustainability. Translations in Europe can be […]
Bookshop.org Has Raised $2.3M to Launch Ebook Sales
A Wired profile of Bookshop.org founder Andy Hunter details the past and future of the company, most notably explaining that Hunter has raised $2.3 million to fund the company’s initiative to sell ebooks. (Participating bookstores will make 30 percent of the cover price for each book sold.) In January, the ABA — which is a Bookshop investor — voted to invest $200,000 in the ebook rollout, and the project’s main investor is William Randolph Hearst III, who was a principal investor when Bookshop launched. The article acknowledges the challenges involved in the initiative, since many alternative app-based reading platforms have tried […]
Ingram Plant Closure will Eliminate 270 Jobs
The print-on-demand facility that Ingram is closing in Allentown, PA this year, as announced in January, will eliminate 270 jobs in phases between now and the end of the year, according to a filing with the state’s Department of Labor and Industry. The company is expanding its distribution center in Chambersburg, PA, where it will will add print-on-demand book manufacturing. Ingram said in a statement it “has offered relocation opportunities and/or severance and outplacement assistance to all Allentown associates.” (Chambersburg is 134 miles west of Allentown.)