Oct 30 2012
Tuesday News: More on the Penguin Random House deal
The Curse of the Sympathetic Character – LitLove talks about the sympathetic character and how problematic it can be when it is directed primarily toward women. It reminds me of a piece I wanted to write and will for next Tuesday about exactly why women are hard on other women. I don’t necessarily agree with LitLove’s suggestion that it is because we are less sympathetic but for another reason instead. I did enjoy LitLove’s piece though. LitLove/Reading Room
Is E-publishing Helping or Hurting Authors? – Brooke Warner is self described as an expert in “traditional and new publishing” and “she is an equal advocate for publishing with a traditional house and self-publishing.” But read her article. She uses “digital publishing” to mean “Self publishing” and I would hope that any self proclaimed expert would know the difference. There are digital first, digital only, and self publishing options in today’s digital publishing landscape.
Be careful of those individuals who proclaim themselves experts. Sometimes you wonder from where they earned their expertise.
“The only way to make digital publishing work for you is to use it in tandem with print publishing. Digital publishing isn’t hurting authors, unless they don’t understand that it’s supplemental. E-publishing has not surpassed print publishing, and it will be a good long while before it does.”
I think we all know what hurts authors and it isn’t “digital publishing.”WOW! Women On Writing Blog
Breast cancer screening causes more damage than previously thought – Do we file this under “you’d rather be safe than sorry?” According to a new study, about 4000 women will undergo unnecessary treatment for cancers that would likely never be a threat. I don’t know if I would want to take the risk but I understand the concern.
The NHS (the UK government health care system) is developing a new standard that will provide more information to the women being screened so that they can make “an informed choice for themselves.”
Novel idea.The Guardian
Penguin, Random House Deal – I’ve been reading all the articles on the Penguin Random House deal (which will be the name of the new company) and here are the highlights.
- Penguin Random House will be the name
- 53% will be owned by Bertelsmann and 47% by Pearson
- The combined sales numbers will account for about 25% of the global marketshare
- Marcus, trim the fat until the carcass’ bones can be seen, Dohle will be the president. (I made that name up for him). John Makison of Penguin will be Chairman of the board.
- Supposedly the same number of publishing imprints will exist.
- The benefit is reduction of supply chain costs (there is suggestion that warehouses for shipping purposes will be reduced)
- Some are suggesting that Penguin Random House will sell a branded ereader. (How about a subscription service. That might be pretty enticing)
- The joint venture is for three years.
- In five years, they may consider a public offering. You could own a part of Penguin Random House.
- No word yet on how this will impact the DOJ and similiar price fixing lawsuits. RH was not a party to any of the suits. Both are using Agency pricing. WSJ, Publishers Weekly and NYTimes
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Oct 30, 2012 @ 09:06:25
Any word yet on whether the new company will contract with OverDrive, or at least find some other way to allow e-content in public libraries?
Oct 30, 2012 @ 09:12:25
@hapax: No, I think those issues probably won’t see prominence until after the merger, but I could be wrong.
Oct 30, 2012 @ 12:37:17
An apt nickname for Dohle.
Many of my favorite authors write for Penguin, many of them midlist. I hope they still have contracts once the merger goes through. And as clunky as Penguin’s website can be is is leaps and bounds ahead of RH’s website.
Oct 30, 2012 @ 14:02:31
This was in the US, not the UK, but I was required to have breast cancer screening before going forward with another procedure (toward which I’d already invested thousands and thousands of dollars). It turned up a condition I’ve had since I was 19, but this round of doctors decided it was in dire need of treatment. The doctor went with “better safe than sorry,” cancelled the other procedure (not refundable), and concluded that I wouldn’t be around in a few months anyway. Another doctor in the practice let that morsel drop, adding a surprised “your doctor didn’t already discuss this with you?” at my shocked reaction.
I want lives to be saved through early detection. But having to forego the other procedure had devastating ramifications (not even counting the stress), and I’ll just leave it at that.
Get second opinions. Third opinions if your healthcare coverage allows it.
Er, as for Penguin/RH…I am cynical and uneasy, but there’s not much I can do about it and have decided to hide my head in a whole bunch of newly-purchased saucy eBooks.
Oct 30, 2012 @ 18:32:18
“Penguin Random House will be the name.”
Totally irrelevant, but I’d love to buy a book from Random Penguin House.
I’d love to visit a zoo that had a Random Penguin House.
*waddles off, randomly*
Oct 30, 2012 @ 18:53:20
@TaraL: I think the name should be Penguin House, but it’s long been apparent that these people don’t have a sense of humorous.