Burnham Makes His Move

by Steven Zeitchik, PW NewsLine -- Publishers Weekly, 3/8/2005

The hole left by Susan Weinberg's departure is being filled by perhaps the most desired editorial mind out there--Jonathan Burnham.

Harper clearly had the soon-to-be-former Miramax publisher waiting in the wings when it announced Weinberg's dismissal Friday (as per our report Friday noting insiders' feeling that a replacement would come very soon).

The house cited Burnham's mix of commercial and literary sensibilities as a reason for the fit, though this job is a lot bigger, with a reported 100+ titles per year and a slew of executive editors under him. He'll be reporting to Harper Morrow head Michael Morrison.

Of course the biggest question comes with what Burnham leaves behind. (Fittingly, his start date is, the house says, "being determined.") Does this accelerate the demise of Miramax Books as we know it? Complicate the fate of Miramax authors? The Miramax-Disney contract runs until September, and as we've reported, it's widely expected--or at least was widely expected--that all the authors slated for spring and summer releases will be pubbed by the house. A Miramax spokesperson did not immediately return a call for comment.