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Wednesday, September 22nd, 1999 Media Cynic | Forum | Advertising | Classifieds | Jobs HarperCollins Announces New Publishing Structure HarperCollins Publishers has announced its new publishing structure, combining William Morrow, Avon Books and HarperCollins. The restructuring comes soon after the acquisition of William Morrow and Company, Inc. and Avon Books, Inc. from The Hearst Corporation which was finalized in July. The new structure includes the HarperCollins General Books Group (formerly the Adult Trade Group) led by Cathy Hemming, who has been promoted from Executive Vice President and Publisher to President and Publisher; and HarperCollins Children's Books Group headed by Susan Katz, President and Publisher. As a result of the restructuring, 74 people in editorial, marketing and operations will be leaving the company. The HarperCollins General Books Group will be headed by Hemming, along with two senior executives. Michael Morrison, formerly Senior Vice President and Associate Publisher has been promoted to Executive Vice President and Group Publishing Director. In addition, Brian Murray, formerly Vice President, Finance and Publishing Operations, has been appointed to the newly created position of Senior Vice President and Managing Director. Both Morrison and Murray will report to Hemming. In an effort to streamline the management structure of the growing publishing program, Hemming has organized the General Books Group into four operating divisions: HarperTrade, Morrow/Avon, HarperInformation and HarperSanFrancisco. The HarperTrade division includes seven imprints: HarperCollins; Perennial; Cliff Street Books; The Ecco Press; Quill; HarperAudio and Large Print Editions; and Regan Books, which is independently operated and led by its President and Publisher, Judith Regan. The Morrow/Avon division includes five imprints: William Morrow, Avon, HarperTorch, Eos and HarperEntertainment. HarperInformation includes HarperBusiness, HarperResource, Access Travel, William Morrow Cookbooks, and the branded books publishing program previously known as Hearst Magazine Division Books. HarperSanFrancisco is a publisher of religion, spirituality and New Age titles. The HarperCollins Children's Book Group has been reorganized to include eight imprints and will be headed by Susan Katzg. The Group includes the following imprints: Greenwillow Books, Joanna Cotler Books, Laura Geringer Books, HarperCollins, HarperFestival, HarperTrophy, Avon, and Tempest. Final Version of Open eBook Standard Released The Open eBook (OEB) Authoring Group has released the final version of the Open eBook Publication Structure 1.0. Open eBook Publication Structure 1.0 defines the format that content takes when it is converted from print to electronic form. The Open eBook specification is based on HTML and XML, the same core languages that define the Web, and is designed to allow publishers and authors to deliver their material in a single format. "The quick adoption of a uniform eBook standard is a milestone event in publishing," said Jack Romanos, president and chief operating officer of Simon & Schuster Inc. "By removing uncertainty over competing formats, it provides all publishers with the impetus and the tools to move even faster toward publishing's electronic future." Stern Publishing Offers Alternative Newspapers for Sale Stern Publishing, an alternative newspaper company in the country, has announced that it is seeking the sale of all of the company's weekly newspapers, and has engaged the investment banking firm of Veronis Suhler & Associates as its financial advisor. Stern Publishing consists of seven free weekly newspapers, including New York City's The Village Voice and Los Angeles' LA Weekly as well as papers in Seattle, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Orange County, CA, Cleveland, and Long Island, NY, with a combined total circulation of over 890,000. The company employs more than 500 people nationwide and has revenues over $80 million. Stern Publishing is owned by Leonard Stern. Leonard Stern said, "Since purchasing The Village Voice from Rupert Murdoch fourteen years ago, publishing has been a wonderful and creative business experience for me. In that time, we have grown from a single publication to become the preeminent alternative newspaper company in the country, with seven highly recognizable brand name publications, each of which is the #1 alternative newspaper, with growing circulation, in its respective market. I am extremely proud of this company, and confident of its future potential. However, after consulting with my children and discussing their future career plans, I have decided to sell our publishing interests." All Stern weeklies are in tabloid format and distributed free in their local markets, covering everything from local politics to crime and corruption, lifestyle, arts, and entertainment. Each publication is run locally, with its own editorial, advertising, production and distribution staffs. Each Stern publication maintains an active website. The Publications include: The Village Voice, The LA Weekly, The OC Weekly, City Pages, The Cleveland Free Times, and The Long Island Voice. CMP Names Paul Schindler Editor of WinMag.com CMP Media Inc. has announced that it has expanded the duties of BYTE.com Editor Paul Schindler, naming him editor of WinMag.com. Schindler will oversee the editorial direction of both online sites and manage WinMag.com's 12-person editorial team. Prior to assuming his current role in March, Schindler produced CMP's Internet streaming media programming, including TechWeb Today and the TechWeb Week in Review. Schindler began his career in technology journalism in 1979 at Computer Systems News and has since worked at Information Systems News, InformationWeek, PCVision, and Windows Magazine. "Readers and advertisers are loyal to the WinMag brand. It is something we are firmly committed to investing resources in," said Tony Uphoff, President of CMP's Business Technology Group. "We expect Paul's talents and die-hard enthusiasm will grow WinMag.com much like he did with BYTE.com in the few months that he's been managing the site," Uphoff said. CMP also announced that several Windows Magazine columnists, including Fred Langa, David Methvin, Martin Hellar, and Mike Elgan will continue to write for the site. In addition, Elgan will continue to edit his weekly email newsletter, "WIN Letter". In June, CMP announced that it converted Windows Magazine into an online-only information source. WinMag.com averages more than six million page views a month. Barron's Online Launches Redesign Barron's Online, an online resource available exclusively to subscribers of The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition, has launched a new version of its website. In addition to offering the full text of the weekly print publication, Barron's Online now provides expanded weekday coverage and a new format. "There has been an explosion of financial information on the Web, but too much of it is superficial," said Howard R. Gold, editor of Barron's Online. "Barron's Online takes a different approach, emphasizing analysis, commentary and fresh perspectives that aren't available anywhere else." O. Media, Inc. Gives Teens A Voice Against Violence O. Media, Inc. has announced that its teen website, CulturalCool.com, will be launching an essay contest for teens to address the issue of teenage violence. The contest titled "Keeping Your Cool: Teens Against Violence" will begin September 27, 1999. Entrants will write a 750 to 1000 word essay discussing why they believe there has been such a recent dramatic rise in teenage violence, and what they believe can be done to prevent it. The entries will be separated into two different age brackets, 13 through 15 years old, and 16 through 19. In each age bracket, there will be one 1st place winners who will each be awarded a $1,500 scholarship, one 2nd place winners receiving a $750 scholarship, and one 3rd place winners receiving a $500 scholarship. All entries must be received by December 31, 1999. The winners will be announced on January 10, 1999 on CulturalCool.com and winning essays will be posted on the website. Jayne Newell-Lanza, Chairperson of O. Media, Inc., stated, "Cultural Cool's goal is to be the leading website offering teenagers access to real life issues that are relevant to their lives, without talking down to them. Our goal is to educate, provide awareness, and entertain. Teenage violence is a major concern in the teenage community. Today's teens do not want to have to go to school in fear, and they should not be put in that position. With this contest, we are providing teenagers with a voice to tell the world their take on the situation, which is often more realistic than the perspective of the adults who are observing at a distance. We must listen to the opinions of those that are directly effected by the violence, the teens themselves, and then unite to find a solution." NOVA Team Ventures To Antarctica Beginning on October 19 and running through the third week of November, web surfers can join in the latest NOVA/PBS Online Adventure as the NOVA film crew retraces the legendary race against death of Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton and his men in Shackleton's Antarctic Odyssey. Virtual adventurers can join the expedition online, where they can choose from the following: read dispatches filed by the team, explore the Antarctic Islands through Quicktime VRs, play games, view interactive maps, read stories and access classroom resources. NOVA Online provides a companion website for each week's NOVA broadcast, program schedules, teacher guides, audience feedback, and links to related sites. NOVA Online appears on PBS Online at: http://www.pbs.org. Around the Web Amazon.Com Plans To Sell Music For Download Fox News AOL Retains Top Web Property Slot NUA Arts, Humanities Awards Announced Fox News Barnes & Noble to Create Own Bestseller List PublishersWeekly Cahners Business CEO Steps Down Media Central HarperCollins Lays Off 74 After Merger Reuters In H'w'd, Nothing's Hotter Than 'Potter' Variety Issue of Web Copyright Hotly Debated BookWire Mergers-and-Acquisition Aftershocks PublishersWeekly Networks Vow Not to Cancel New Shows Too Soon Reuters PubLink.net: New Website Looks to Provide Book Info PublishersWeekly Sheer Drudgery Salon.com Space.com Names Sally Ride President Media Central Village Voice on the Block Editor & Publisher Watch The Miniseries, Read The Book Reuters Writers Win China's First Internet Copyright Suit Reuters 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. 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