Time Inc.

Focusing on Faith
May 1, 2007

The large New York publishing firms might have been forgiven, in early 2000, for taking little or no notice of a slim volume of Bible commentary put out by Multnomah Publishers, a small religious publishing house based in Colorado Springs. The book, which analyzed an obscure Old Testament passage as a sort of self-help guide to releasing “God’s favor, power and protection” through prayer, was bought up by large evangelical churches and began to be talked about online and in so-called “small group ministry” sessions around the country. One year and 4 million copies later, everyone in the publishing world had heard of

Management Tools for Saving Time and Money
April 1, 2007

Many publishing management solutions are available in today’s competitive marketplace that can help publishers automate and link business functions such as sales commissions, royalties, title management, fulfillment, invoicing, marketing, production management and more. As with choosing any solution, it is important to do extensive research on both the product and the company behind it. Ideally, you should be looking for a solution that won’t need to be updated every year, that can expand as your company evolves, and that will support your customer-centered business. “A solution must not only meet your needs today, but it must meet your needs five years from now. The

‘The Secret’ is Out (of Stock)
April 1, 2007

The secret to publishing a runaway best seller is out, and you won’t need to read a book or watch a DVD to get in on it. “The Secret,” a self-help book by Rhonda Byrne, is perhaps the most controversial chart-topper since Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code.” By now you’ve probably heard its premise—that your own thoughts hold the key to a happy, healthy and successful life. Positive thinking attracts positive results, preaches Byrne and a team of “teachers” featured throughout the book. They call it the law of attraction. Your business didn’t fail because you missed a quota or hired the

Oprah Announces New Book Club Selection
March 30, 2007

On Wednesday, Oprah Winfrey announced on her TV show that Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road,” published in 2006 by the Knopf Group of Random House Inc., is her second book club pick of the year and just her third overall selection since September 2005 and the controversial “A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey. Oprah’s Book Club was established in September 1996, and since then, her selections have pulled some obscure works onto best-seller lists. However McCarthy’s book is a relatively safe bet for Oprah, already receiving much national acclaim. “The Road” is on the USA Today Bestseller List, a National Book Critic’s

You’re Hired!
March 1, 2007

Publishers rely on the Internet or classified ads to spread the word about new positions, but how can you guarantee you will attract people with the best or even relevant skill sets? Furthermore, the more important question may be: Exactly what skill sets should you be looking for in today’s constantly changing publishing environment? Beyond the obvious characteristics any publisher would want in a new hire—intelligence, loyalty, enthusiasm, writing and editing skills, an eye for layout, business and marketing savvy, and so forth, publishers may wonder if they should expand the perimeter of the required skill set to prepare for embracing the multimedia

National Book Award Winners Announced
December 1, 2006

A “who’s who” of the book industry convened in the Big Apple last month to mingle as the annual National Book Awards were bestowed on this year’s batch of winning authors. The black-tie affair, the award’s 57th ceremony, took place at New York’s Marriott Marquis on Nov. 15. This year, the judges chose from 1,259 books submitted by publishers for what has become a leading literary prize for Americans since it was first given in 1950. Richard Powers’ “The Echo Maker,” published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, earned the top award for fiction this year, while Timothy Egan took home the nonfiction award for “The Worst

Deal or No Deal?
November 1, 2006

Despite economic concerns highlighted by a slowdown in the housing market, merger and acquisition activity in the media and information industry remained steady through the first three quarters of 2006. Book publishers in the directory, reference, educational, professional and consumer books sectors have been especially busy, according to M&A firm The Jordan Edmiston Group Inc. (JEGI), recording 30 transactions through September of this year. For publishers looking to acquire other companies or positions themselves to be bought out, Book Business sought advice from several M&A advisers on maximizing the value of your next transaction. Tips for Sellers “There are several factors that drive

Behind the Industry’s Push for ‘Responsible Paper Use’
October 1, 2006

In its June issue, Book Business covered the newly created Book Industry Treatise on Responsible Paper Use, a formal effort to change the book industry’s environmental impact. The treatise reflects the input of 25 industry stakeholders—publishers, printers, paper companies and merchants—and sets industry-wide goals for change. The primary goal: to increase the average use of recycled fiber from the industry’s current 5 percent to 30 percent within five years. So far, the treatise has been signed by 118 publishers, two paper mills and four printers, and supporters are making a significant push to enlist many others. Book Business asked those involved in the

Top Industry Executives to Be Inducted Top Industry Executives to Be Inducted Into National Hall of Fame
June 9, 2006

PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—North American Publishing Co. and Book Business and Publishing Executive magazines have announced their official call for nominations for the 2006 Publishing Executive Hall of Fame (formerly the PrintMedia Hall of Fame), the industry’s most prestigious award presented to individual publishing and production executives. Inductees join the ranks of leading executives in magazine, book and catalog publishing, as well as advertising production. Last year’s inductees were: - Anthony Crouch, director, design and production, University of California Press - Dora Braschi Cardinale, executive VP, print production, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia - Barry Meinerth, senior VP, production and fulfillment, Time Inc. - Ken

Creating Online Products with Bottom-Line Impact
June 1, 2006

For Roger Hall, determining how to extend a successful print publishing business online is no academic exercise. Hall, the senior vice president of scholarly book and journal publisher Haworth Press, has overseen the expansion of the company’s operations from a handful of publications to more than 100 books and 226 quarterly journals. Hall says Haworth succeeds because the company identifies social, behavioral and library science niches, among others, and uses a flexible printing strategy to extract the maximum return from small print runs. “You don’t need to have 20,000 subscribers to a journal to make a profitable business,” Hall says. “Four hundred to 600