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Friday, January 22, 1999 Media Cynic | Forum | Advertising | Classifieds | Jobs Petersen and EMAP Complete Acquisition James D. Dunning, Jr., Chairman and President of EMAP Petersen, Inc., announced today the completion of EMAP's acquisition of The Petersen Companies, Inc. for US$1.5 billion. The combined company, EMAP plc, has annual revenues of US$1.7 billion, 603 magazines and more than 6,000 employees worldwide. Dunning said, "We are pleased to have delivered a great transaction for our employees, customers, shareholders and EMAP. We look forward to a new exciting world platform with EMAP. As part of the world's largest publishing company, we will continue to aggressively pursue trade and consumer magazine acquisitions and launches with plans to invest in the U.S. up to $500 million in 1999." EMAP Petersen is poised to become a more powerful multimedia company by introducing select EMAP titles to the U.S. market while more aggressively focusing on acquisitions, launches and expansion of their existing brands both here and in Europe. EMAP Petersen, Inc. is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of EMAP plc with headquarters in Peterborough, England. Avon Eos Readies for EosCon II Science Fiction and Fantasy publisher Avon/Eos will hold the second online SF/Fantasy Convention on Saturday, January 30, 1999 from 1-5 p.m. Eastern time. Featured panelists and guests include noted SF and Fantasy authors Gregory Benford, Raymond E. Feist, Dave Duncan, Severna Park, Dennis Danvers, Martha Wells, and many others. Interactive panel discussions will include such topics as creating fantasy worlds, the Internet's effect on SF and Fantasy and electronic publishing. Registration is free, and participants have a chance to win books in a number of free drawings and meet the authors. More information and online registration is available at: http://www.e-horizon.com/eoscon2/. Paul D. McCarthy Named Senior Editor At HarperCollins Adult Trade Hardcover Division Joelle Delbourgo, Senior Vice President Editor-in-Chief of HarperCollins Adult Trade Group, announced the appointment of Paul D. McCarthy as Senior Editor, responsible for acquiring serious and popular nonfiction, literary and commercial fiction. Before this appointment in October 1998, McCarthy served as a Senior Consulting Editor for HarperCollins. McCarthy works with a broad range of authors ranging from distinguished historians Stephen B. Oates and H.R. McMaster, and award-winning literary novelist Patrick McCabe to major best-selling novelists Clive Barker and Robert K. Tannenbaum, as well as New York Times best-selling nonfiction writers Ronald Kessler, Walter J. Boyne and Richard Shenkman. "Paul's depth of experience both as an editor and author make him a tremendous addition to an already strong and diverse editorial team," said Delbourgo. "We are delighted to have him join HarperCollins full time." McCarthy previously served as Senior Editor for Simon & Schuster's Pocket Books Division and the Simon & Schuster Trade Division. During his eleven years at Simon & Schuster, he worked with No. 1 New York Times best-selling novelists Clive Cussler, Nelson DeMille, Richard Marcinko and John Weisman. In addition, he published books by many other New York Times best-selling authors including Stephen Coonts, Ralph Peters, Lou Holtz, Harold Coyle, Richard Herman, Jr., Mark Joseph and John Costello. McCarthy is also an author, magazine writer, essayist, novelist and book reviewer. He has written books, articles and essays about editing, writing and publishing and created the Carson Suspense Series of novels. His book reviews of literary fiction have appeared in The Los Angeles Times Book Review, Chicago Sun-Times Book Week, Detroit News, Minneapolis Star Tribune and Cleveland Plain Dealer. New Ripley's Believe It or Not! to be Launched by Sony Signatures Sony Signatures has announced that it will develop partners for licensing and merchandising efforts, including literary and dramatic rights, for the worldwide Ripley franchise. Sony Signatures has begun working with Ken Atchity and Wili Baronet of AEI/GP on a to reposition the Ripley franchise in the worlds of entertainment and merchandising. Highlights of Sony Signatures' repositioning of the Ripley's franchise include television episodes for TBS, an animated children's program, a biography of Robert Ripley, a feature film, a book series, a young adult graphic novel series, comic books, coloring books and game books. "Ripley's, now in its 81st year, is the most recognized phenomena-oriented brand in the world with 38 museums worldwide and more than 10 million visitors annually," said Dell Furano, President and CEO of Sony Signatures. "The brand has such built-in worldwide appeal and there are creatively so many directions to go with it, that our new efforts to expand this franchise have already been met with great response. We look forward to working with AEI/GP's literary and publishing expertise to open up opportunities exponentially in these areas." "Ripley saw and recognized the inherent life-defining beauty in the different and the extraordinary," commented Furano. "In today's world, where the generic has become daily fare, Ripley becomes the prototypical champion of the unusual." IDG Books Worldwide Plans Customized Distribution Center IDG Books Worldwide, publishers of the successful ...For Dummies series and other book brands, has reached an agreement with its supplier, Banta Book Group, for Banta to build a 250,000 sq. ft. distribution facility in Harrisonburg, VA. This facility will be adjacent to the existing Banta printing plant and will produce up to 60 per cent of IDGB's books. The facility will be ready to begin shipping by the end of 1999. "We expect this new alliance will have significant cost benefits in implementing just-in-time inventory strategies and eliminating inbound freight charges for the majority of our product," said John Ball, IDGB Executive Vice President. "This state-of-the-art facility, along with our new web-enabled order processing system, will provide accelerated time to market performance benefiting all of our customers." Banta Book Group President Ron Musil said, "We are proud to be part of the success story of IDG Books and we are excited to be part of its future as IDGB's sole distribution point for all of its customers. Our new facility will ensure that the manufacturing and distribution needs of IDGB will be met well into the next century." Last year, IDGB implemented a new computer order management system called OASIS which will be networked with the Banta facility. Designed by Lawson Software, OASIS enables dynamic, real-time tracking of orders, billing and returns and will be jointly used by Banta and IDGB to improve customer service, inventory control and reduced response time. The Coriolis Group, Inc. Acquired by Haights Cross The Coriolis Group has announced that an agreement has been signed with Haights Cross Communications, LLC, to acquire The Coriolis Group from International Thomson Publishing. Keith Weiskamp, Coriolis' president, CEO, and co-founder, will continue to lead the company under the terms of the acquisition. "Haights Cross' strategy of investing in and expertly guiding rapidly growing specialty publishing and training businesses is an ideal fit for Coriolis," said Weiskamp, CEO of Coriolis. "We believe this acquisition will help us to continue to realize our vision of expanding Coriolis to lead the market in providing IT training services, materials, and courses, and publishing quality technical books. This acquisition with Haights Cross tops off a year of record growth for Coriolis. We are especially excited about the prospects of working with Haights Cross to help us capitalize on our leading brands and market position." Coriolis' flagship Exam Cram study guides help IT professionals study and prepare for leading technology certifications such as Microsoft's MCSE, MCSD, and MOUS programs, as well as Oracle, Java, Novell, etc. Coriolis' has distributed more than 1 million certification guides in less than a year. In the first half of 1999, the company expects to launch a number of new training products and services including Exam Cram Live (instructor-led-training seminars), adaptive Computer-Based-Training courses and study guides, certification instructor-led-training products, and Web-based training programs. Coriolis also expects to expand their list of books published for software developers, Web developers, network administrators, database developers, and graphics design professionals. Borders and Black Issues in Higher Education Announce Launch Of Black Issues Book Review Borders Books and Music have announced that it has supported the publishers of Black Issues In Higher Education as advertising launch partner for the new magazine Black Issues Book Review that concentrates on African American books and authors. The magazine is devoted exclusively to books by and about people of African descent. The publication will include in-depth reviews by celebrities, scholars and journalists along with author interviews and profiles, discussions on modern African American criticism and commentary, and other newsworthy or informational announcements. Under the direction of Susan McHenry, the executive editor of Black Issues Book Review, the bi-monthly magazine will serve as a forum for topics and trends in African-American life and culture. McHenry, is editor-at-large for Essence and has held important positions at Ms., Working Woman and QBR: The Black Book Review. "I'm delighted that Borders has helped make it possible for us to publish a glossy, consumer magazine celebrating black books and authors. Black Issues Book Review will feature and review books on every facet of black life and culture, from music, visual arts, and film to politics, sports, health, spirituality, and, of course, fiction," comments Bill Cox, President of CMA and Editor-in-Chief of the new magazine. "The breadth that Borders superstores offer book buyers -- that's our approach to black books: you'll find all the black books covered in this magazine." Scholastic Inc. Acquires QED Scholastic Corporation , a children's publishing and media company, has announced the acquisition of QED (Quality Education Data) from Peterson's. QED sells exclusive school databases, school demographic data, and research and database marketing services. QED's management, including Jeanne Hayes, President and founder of the company, and her staff, will continue to operate QED from its headquarters in Denver, Colorado. QED will become a wholly-owned subsidiary company reporting to Hugh Roome, Executive Vice President of Scholastic. Richard Robinson, Chairman, President, & CEO of Scholastic said, "We are pleased to acquire QED, the leading educational technology marketing resource. Scholastic's acquisition of QED aligns with our continued commitment to developing high growth technology products and services. Jeanne Hayes and her staff have built QED into a major force in educational marketing, and we are confident that QED will thrive as part of Scholastic." Founded in 1981, QED's research and database focuses exclusively on K-12 education. QED's National Education Database is a school and teacher name list which includes U.S. and Canadian K-12 educational institutions. In 1997, QED introduced its National Registry of Teacher Names, a database of nearly 3 million educators in more than 250 job functions. "QED is at the forefront of the movement to bring technology to our nation's K-12 schools. As the premier provider of information on post-secondary institutions and career opportunities, Peterson's has a dedicated focus on the college-bound and adult marketplaces. Scholastic, therefore, with its exceptional reputation among educators and as a pioneer in incorporating innovative and effective applications of technologies into schools, is more strategically positioned to support QED's continued growth," said Michael Brannick, President and CEO of Peterson's. PC Week Editor John Dodge Writes New Column For The Wall Street Journal Interactive A new column by John Dodge, editor of PC Week, vice president of news for Ziff-Davis, has debuted on The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition's Tech Center. The exclusive, weekly column, Dodge's E-conomy, is focused on electronic commerce and its surging importance in the global economy. Rich Jaroslovsky, managing editor of The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition, said, "We're delighted to welcome John Dodge to the Interactive Journal. He is a smart, aggressive newsman. We share a strong desire to make Dodge's E-conomy a newsy, must-read feature. We'll also take advantage of online discussions, real-time events and other media to enhance the column's value for subscribers." Eric Lundquist, editor-in-chief of PC Week, added, "We're delighted that John will be writing a new column for The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition. It not only recognizes John's expertise in e-commerce, it also reinforces PC Week's robust coverage of the subject. John will continue writing This PC Week, his weekly column in both the print and online editions of PC Week. However, John has had to give up writing his bi-weekly Tech Edge column for The Boston Globe to make time to write his new Dodge's E-conomy column." Dodge is a journalist and well-known columnist with 22 years of experience. He is responsible for PC Week print and online news coverage and the PC Week website. He also oversees news projects at Ziff-Davis, including ZDNet News. Before that, he managed the PC Week news department from 1983 to 1988 and from 1991 until his promotion to editor. From 1988 to 1990, he served as executive editor at CMP Media's Computer Reseller News and was responsible for the newspaper's technology coverage. Click here to return to the homepage of The Write NewsTM Click here to subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter.  www.writenews.com Copyright © 1997-2007 by Writers Write, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
