Media Sales Flat at Amazon
Sales in Amazon's North America media group were flat in the second quarter, remaining at $1.15 billion. The e-tailer attributed the results to a decline in video-game and video-game console sales that was offset by gains in books. Sales growth in the media segment had been slowing in recent quarters, but sales were still posting high single-digit gains until now. International media sales didn't do much better, up 3%. For the first six months of 2009, North America media sales rose 4%, to $2.45 billion.
Sales of Kindles, which are recorded in the electronics and other general merchandise segment, continued to exceed expectations, the company said. Amazon declined to discuss if e-book sales were eating into sales of physical books.
Nichols Named HMH Publisher
Bruce Nichols has been named senior v-p and publisher of adult trade & reference at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, a post that has beenvacant since Becky Saletan stepped down in early December. Nichols, who was most recently publisher of HarperCollins's Collins imprint, will start at HMH August 3. In his new role he'll oversee the entire adult trade group, which includes trade hardcover, cookbooks and the trade paperback programs including Mariner Books, field guides and reference. Before Collins, Nichols spent 15 years at Free Press.
Quebecor Exits Bankruptcy
Quebecor World officially emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week and said it plans to change its name to World Color Press; World Color was one of the printers the company acquired as it was building up its printing assets.
Attributor Adds Wiley
John Wiley has become the second book publisher to sign with Attributor and will use Attributor's online tracking service to help prevent unlawful use of its authors' content on the Web. Attributor's software monitors 35 billion Web pages to find instances of unauthorized reuse of content. The Hachette Book Group signed on with Attributor in June.
New Duties for Cully, Nelson at B&T
Bob Nelson, who put together the partnerships that form the core of Baker & Taylor's new digital media services group, is taking on all retail sales activities for B&T to both U.S. and overseas customers. Nelson will report to David Cully, president of retail markets and executive v-p of merchandising; Cully will also now oversee the digital media services group. Nelson will continue to report to CEO Tom Morgan on strategic issues as well as on partnerships that would support the digital supply chain.
Lagardère Publishing Up
Revenue at Lagardère Publishing rose 11% in the first half of 2009, to just over one billion euros ($1.4 billion at current exchange rates) driven by Stephenie Meyer sales not only in the U.S. but in France and the U.K. as well. Hachette Book Group had a solid first six months; in addition to Meyer, The Shack continued to sell well, as did Outliers. First Family, The Scarecrow and The 8th Confession were new frontlist titles that did well for HBG. Lagardère was cautious about prospects for the second half, noting that sales of the Meyer titles began to build last July and accelerated in the fourth quarter. For its part, HBG said it believes the November release of the New Moon Twilight movie will “step up sales dramatically.”
Appeal Filed in Salinger Case
Lawyers for Swedish author Fredrik Colting and his U.S. distributor, SCB Distribution, filed an appeal on July 23 with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, in New York, arguing that a July 1 injunction barring publication of Colting's 60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye is an “impermissible prior restraint and an unwarranted extension” of copyright protection.
The appeal seeks urgent relief, with attorneys arguing that the injunction causes harm to the defendants.
Omission
Last week's photo of Scott Westerfeld, in our author profile, was taken by Theo Black.
