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Wednesday, September 29th, 1999 Media Cynic | Forum | Advertising | Classifieds | Jobs CAP Ventures Releases On-Demand Book Production Industry Report CAP Ventures has announced the release of their newest report focusing on the On Demand Industry: Exploiting On-Demand Book Production: Opportunities, Strategies, and Practices. The publishing industry today is undergoing rapid transformation from forces inside and outside the industry. The merger and acquisition trend that has transformed many U.S. industries is also transforming the publishing industry. The high level of publishing merger & acquisition activity in the past five years has resulted in most publishing industry segments having five or fewer major players. The traditional publishing distribution channels (college and trade bookstores) are coming under pressure as new online booksellers pop-up almost weekly. According to industry research, in 1998 books of all kinds were the second most purchased item on the Internet (computer hardware was first) at over $600 Million. This figure is expected to double in 1999. The Internet itself is both a threat and an opportunity to publishers as it promises faster more efficient way for publishers to distribute content, but the Internet also allows authors and would-be authors to more easily find audiences for their works bypassing the traditional publisher channel. And increasingly, content is being distributed electronically. CAP Ventures has been closely following this rapidly-changing market space, particularly as it relates to the opportunities these changes provide for print service providers to add book printing and related services to their offerings. The US publishing industry reached $23.0 billion is sales according to the Association of American Publisher 1998 annual statistics survey, representing an increase of 6.4% over 1997. CAP Ventures research estimates that in 1998, printers of all types shared in over $5 billion in paper, printing and binding purchases by book publishers. CAP Ventures estimates that on-demand printers captured just over $250 million of the total publishers spent on paper, printing and binding. Over 95% of the books produced today are printed via the traditional offset process with a minimum run length of roughly 750-1,250 copies and maximum run lengths limited only by the publisher's optimism and budget. With traditional offset manufacturing processes, publishers rarely produce books in quantities lower then the 750-1,250 level because of the inherent fixed costs associated with offset. MSNBC.com to Launch NBC News Interactive Programming on WebTV Plus Starting mid October, MSNBC.com will begin daily production of interactive television for NBC News programs, including NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, Dateline NBC and the Today Show, it was announced by John Nicol, general manager of MSNBC.com. "MSNBC.com, the leader in online news and interactive television programming, will augment NBC News programming by combining the daily broadcasts with the interactivity of the World Wide Web," says Nicol. "We firmly believe that audience participation is the next revolution in the news and information television experience. We've tested this with Dateline Interactive during this summer and saw strong viewer interest with people logging on to cast their votes live during the program. Now, MSNBC.com is making the next step by developing fully converged television for the NBC News audience." Enhanced content designed specifically for the Microsoft WebTV Network_ Plus service will include interactive broadcasts of NBC News programming and special reports. Daily programming will include interactive features for breaking news such as the MSNBC Live Vote, chats and online reports. Clickable features for all NBC News programming will be available on the enhanced WebTV Plus service. Cross-media interactive advertising will also be included in the interactive programming. Charles Green Named Editor of National Journal Charles Green, deputy editor of National Journal, has been appointed editor of the weekly magazine on government and politics, National Journal President and Publisher John Fox Sullivan announcedy. Mr. Green, who joined National Journal in December, 1997, succeeds Michael Kelly, who has served as editor since July, 1998. Mr. Kelly will move to the position of editor-in-chief, Mr. Sullivan said. Mr. Kelly has been appointed editor of The Atlantic Monthly. The appointment was made in an announcement made by Mortimer Zuckerman, Chairman and CEO of U.S. News & World Report Magazine Group, and David G. Bradley, chairman of National Journal Group, that Mr. Zuckerman had sold The Atlantic Monthly to Mr. Bradley. Mr. Sullivan said that Mr. Kelly will continue to provide guidance as editor-in-chief, but that Mr. Green would assume immediate and full authority for the day-to-day editing of National Journal. "As Editor, Michael Kelly has created the finest magazine of policy and politics in this country by combining excellent writing, timely reporting and in-depth analysis, and National Journal will continue to benefit from Mike's imagination and intellect as he assumes the role of editor-in-chief," said Sullivan. "I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to edit National Journal, which stands as an institution in Washington for its integrity, insight and depth," said Mr. Green. "I'm looking forward to working with Mike and John as we continue our efforts to even further improve the magazine." As deputy editor, Mr. Green has worked with reporters covering the White House, politics, health policy, technology, transportation and the environment. He also helped coordinate several special reports in National Journal, including ones on the Kenneth Starr report, the 1998 election results, President Clinton's impeachment, Social Security and Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush. Before coming to National Journal, Mr. Green worked as a reporter and editor in the Washington bureau of the Knight-Ridder newspaper chain for 17 years. drkoop.com Names Joyce Gabriel as Managing Editor of Women's Health Center drkoop.com, Inc., an Internet healthcare network led by Dr. C. Everett Koop, former U.S. Surgeon General, has announced the addition of Joyce Gabriel as its managing editor of Women's Health Center. Ms. Gabriel's role is to develop and direct content for women's health, as well as form a network of writers and experts who will report on women's issues and provide practical advice to visitors. "Joyce brings over 30 years of experience in writing about women's lifestyle and health issues," said Donald Hackett, president and CEO of drkoop.com. "Women, more than any other demographic, are turning to the Internet for information, advice and support. Just last month, more than 2 million unique female users came to drkoop.com. We believe the addition of Joyce Gabriel will enhance a woman's experience on our site." Joyce Gabriel is an award-winning journalist, author and editor with more than 30 years experience in newspaper and magazine journalism. Ms. Gabriel has been the editorial executive and columnist for Newsday, Gannett, Knight-Ridder and Times-Mirror newspapers. As an author, she wrote Having It All in 1979 as a guide for women on family, marriage and career management. Ms. Gabriel's latest book, To See You Again: A True Story of Love In A Time of War, the Betty Schimmel story, published by Dutton, will soon be a major motion picture. The Women's Health Center can be found at http://www.drkoop.com/family/womens/. Ms. Gabriel's contribution will begin appearing on Wednesday, October 20. The drkoop.com Network is an Internet healthcare initiative that integrates healthcare content, interactive communities, e-commerce and tools. TechOnLine Names Bruce Rayner as President TechOnLine, an online resource for the electronic engineering community, has named Bruce Rayner as president and John Miklosz as director of content. In his new role as president, Bruce Rayner, previously vice president of business strategy, will report to TechOnLine's founder and CEO, Dr. Amnon Aliphas. Rayner recently joined TechOnLine from Cahners Publishing where he was publishing director for industry-leading publications Electronic Business and Electronic News. "Bruce's wealth of experience and exceptional reputation in the industry will provide the leadership necessary to ensure that TechOnLine achieves sustainable, long-term growth," said CEO Aliphas. "In addition to ensuring that we provide the highest quality content, Bruce will be invaluable in initiating new sales and partnership opportunities, unveiling aggressive marketing and branding programs, and securing outside investments. We're extremely pleased to have him aboard in such a strategic role." "I am extremely enthusiastic about helping lead a great company like TechOnLine and to work with outstanding people whose deep understanding of the engineering community, of technical education, and of Internet applications is unmatched in the industry," said Rayner. "Under Amnon's leadership the company has grown four-fold over the last two years. I look forward to working closely with him to build upon this success. I'm also extremely pleased with the addition of John Miklosz, an industry legend who will ensure the highest quality content and best possible online experience for TechOnLine's user community." John Miklosz brings to TechOnLine two decades of editorial and publishing experience with engineering and technology publications. Most recently, Miklosz served as editorial director of Pennwell Publishing's Electronic Systems Technology and Design. As director of content, Miklosz will attract industry luminaries as advisors and lecturers, and add editorial, engineering, and training talent. Miklosz will also work closely with the web development team. Applied Radiology Becomes Available via ScienceDirect ScienceDirect, an electronic database of scientific, technical and medical information, has announced an agreement with Anderson Publishing, Ltd. to make its premier journal, Applied Radiology, available through the ScienceDirect online publishing platform. Edited for radiologists, chief radiologic technologists and radiology administrators, Applied Radiology reports on all aspects of general diagnostic radiology, interventional techniques and therapeutic specialties. "We are pleased to be able to include such a premier journal in the field of radiology on our ScienceDirect platform," says Pat Sabosik, Vice President and General Manager of ScienceDirect. "Applied Radiology's inclusion in ScienceDirect will greatly complement our medical and medical imaging holdings." Prima Games and Dimension Publishing Announce Partnership Prima Games, a strategy guide publisher, and Dimension Publishing have announced the signing of an exclusive three-year publishing partnership. Under the terms of the agreement, Dimension will create strategy guides to be published and distributed by Prima Games. Known as the Premier Series, Dimension and Prima will co-produce several official strategy guides before the end of the year. Crash Team Racing: Prima's Official Strategy Guide will be the first guide published through this partnership. Other official strategy guides due out this year include: Grandia (Sony), Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage (Sony), Gran Turismo 2, (Sony), WWF Wrestlemania (THQ), Resident Evil 3: nemesis (Capcom) and Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (Eidos). "This very exciting partnership with Dimension Publishing will benefit retailers and consumers," said Debra Kempker, Vice President and Publisher, Prima Games. "By leveraging the strengths of each brand, we are able to create one line of strategy guides that ensures customers receive the reliable and timely game information they are looking for." People Answer People at Frenzi.com Frenzi.com has announced the preview launch of its "information trading community," a website for people to trade answers to simple questions. Designed specifically for questions like "How long should I cook chicken on a BBQ?" Frenzi.com provides an incentive system for community members to answer the questions of other members. Each question posted to the site is answered by three other members, and each answer is rated for "usefulness" by the person asking the question. The rating system encourages members to answer only those questions that they know something about. "The answer community concept works because everybody knows something that someone else would like to know," says CEO Dave Shackleton. "Frenzi.com provides an easy-to-use framework for matching up these people." In order to encourage members to answer the questions of other members, Frenzi.com uses a virtual currency called "Credits." When a new user joins the website, he or she is given a certain number of Credits to use for asking questions. The Frenzi member can then earn additional Credits by answering questions or performing other tasks like referring friends to the site. Although the primary mechanism on the site for getting information is posting questions to the community, web users can also browse the database of answered questions. Thousands of questions have already been answered across a broad range of topics. In the future, Shackleton says that the company plans to add additional service lines that are similar to the answer exchange and based on the same interaction model of members trading information with other members. Fashion.Net Enables Visitors To Watch Fashion Shows Online Fashion Net, an online fashion portal, has announced the launch of Mini Fashion Net. Mini Fashion Net is a website that appears in a small browser window enabling viewers to watch videos of the latest fashion shows from New York, Paris, London and Milan. The videos shown in connection with the launch are from the latest collections of designers such as Gucci, Paco Rabanne, Herve Leger, Martin Margiela, and Ocimar Versolato, with more to come. "Mini Fashion Net was designed to meet people's growing need to do multiple things at the same time," said Stig Harder, Publisher. "We hope that this new feature will provide users with a richer and more enjoyable Internet experience." Mined Your Business Launches Webimprovement.com Mined Your Business has announced the launch Webimprovement.com. Webimprovement provides information in the field of web marketing, online advertising, web design, web hosting, CGI scripts, e-commerce and affiliate programs. According to the founder of Mined Your Business, Sherri Warren, this is simply Phase 1 in their ongoing campaign to help websites achieve their maximum potential. "There is a tremendous amount of untapped information just waiting to be utilized", says Warren. "And where the concept may not be new, the efficiency is." The newest edition to the directory features website related articles, gathered from the major news sources on the Internet. "Some of these articles are featured in our newsletters as well as recommendations of products and services we feel are beneficial to our visitors" says Warren. AMA Puts Full-Text Articles From JAMA and Archives Journals Online All editorial material from The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and the American Medical Association's (AMA) Archives Journals will be available online through the AMA Publications website. Original research, review articles, editorials, letters and book reviews, as well as other editorial material from JAMA and the Archives Journals, will be available online in a full-text, completely searchable format free of charge to all users for a limited time. E-mail alerts of the journals' tables of contents will also be available free of charge. Initially, the site will include all of the journals' 1999 editorial material to date and all new editorial material will be posted simultaneously at the time each new issue of the journals is published. The information will be formatted to allow users to view all information from the journals and search one, several or all of the journals using text words, author names, or related articles. These search capabilities will provide access to peer-reviewed, original research and important medical information published by JAMA and the Archives Journals. References listed at the end of articles will be linked to full-text versions of the referenced articles available on the site. "Providing JAMA and the Archives Journals online and full text in a fully searchable format will provide physicians and other health care professionals with rapid access to the information they need to help them care for patients," according to Margaret Winker, MD, Deputy Editor of JAMA and Director of the Division of Scientific Online Resources. "The explosion of medical information and the great interest patients have in learning about medical issues make such access vitally important to the practice of medicine today." Around the Web Amazon.com To Let Anyone Sell There Washington Post Atlantic Monthly Sold to Washington Publisher BookWire China Bans Time During Business Forum Media Central An Emerging Genre of Medical Writing BookWire eToys gets playful with new content area Bloomberg News Film Critic Janet Maslin Leaving The New York Times AP Freelance Writers Win Electronic Victory SF Gate Freelancers Win Electronic Copyrights Industry Standard Freelancers Win Reproduction Rights Reuters George Magazine Co-owner Makes Plans for Continued Publication AP George W.’s Ghostwriter — Gone! MSNBC Hearst Integration Gives HarperCollins New Look PublishersWeeky Indiana U. Library Acquires Vonnegut Papers U-Wire Lycos Launches Kids Site InternetNews King of the Obits: Full Lives, Full Sentences CJR Marty Peretz Dumps Another New Republic Editor Salon Microsoft Turned on by TV Biz Variety New Atlantic Guy David Bradley Joins Magazine Big Shots New York Observer New Republic Editor Steps Down Washington Post Nobel in Literature due Thursday Washington Post Playboy's Online Business To Go Public Newsbytes Spike Lee tunes ABC pilot Variety Study: 25% of Students Write Proficiently USA Today TV on the Web Time Digital Who Will Buy the Village Voice? Salon.com Writer Beware: Web Site Warns of Online Scams PublishersWeekly VNU Acquires 50% of Medical Media MediaCentral 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. |
