Ballantine Bantam Dell mass market publisher Scott Shannon is changing roles in a clear sign of where the market is headed. He is taking on the new position of svp, publisher, Digital Content for the Random House Publishing Group, though on the print side he will remain as publisher of Del Rey/Spectra. Shannon will report directly to Gina Centrello in his new role, and director of digital marketing strategy and product development Matt Schwartz will now report to Shannon. Publisher of Ballantine Bantam Dell Libby McGuire will take over leadership of the mass-market list, and associate publisher for mass market, […]
eBook Sales Set Another Record, But Can’t Outpace the Decline in Print
eBooks indisputably comprise a significant portion of trade revenues following the Christmas boom in ereading-capable devices, confirmed by another record ebook sales tally from among the 14 publishers who report. The AAP data also shows what publishers’ net shipments look like in a world in which no one is sending books to Borders. February ebook sales totaled $90.3 million, significantly ahead of the record $69.9 million reported the previous month. In January ebooks were the second-largest trade segment, behind trade paperbacks, but in February they moved ahead as the single largest-selling format (with trade paperbacks at $81.2 million). Just as […]
Shatzkin Files, Compiled
An unabridged collection of the first two years of consultant Mike Shatzkin’s publishing strategy blog The Shatzkin Files has been released as an ebook, billed at roughly 800 pages and listing for $3.99. Kobo, which first suggested the publication to Shatzkin, has an exclusive on the title for the first 60 days. eBook link
Results: WH Smith, Harper International, and Bertrams
In the UK, WH Smith reported results for the first half of their year, ending February 28, that look encouraging against the backdrop of weak UK retail sales in general and the continuing troubles at competitor Waterstone’s and HMV in particular. Sales still fell, mind you, with same-store and overall sales at their High Street stores down 6 percent, travel-store comps down 3 percent. But profits, which were decent to begin with, remained flat. So they earned £47 million on High Street sales of £473, and £25 million on flat overall travel store sales of £213 million. The company says […]
People, Etc.
Thomas Bouman has been promoted from associate editor to editor at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. At Simon & Schuster, Lesley Espenship and Erin Ortner have both been promoted to senior digital operations analyst. Also at the company, Erica White has been promoted to manager of business analysis. At Sourcebooks, Shana Drehs has been promoted to editorial manager for Sourcebooks Landmark; Danielle Jackson has been promoted to publicist for Sourcebooks Casablanca; and Valerie Pierce has joined the company as marketing specialist – retail & libraries. She was previously publishing coordinator for Allen Press. Alison McGeehon has been named associate director of marketing […]
Borders Says Dozens of Executives Have Resigned; Postpones SEC Reports
The judge overseeing the Borders bankruptcy case will convene a hearing this afternoon focused on the company’s motion to implement a bonus retention plan for its executives. (The judge will also rule on a motion to reject a few more leases.) In a reply to objections to the bonuses by the US bankruptcy trustee, the company underscores the real problem: dozens of its executives either don’t have faith in their plan or simply don’t want to work there. Since they asked for the bonuses on March 24, two of the top 17 executives (an unamed svp and vp) have quit, […]