Question: Book Industry TRENDS 2008, just published by the Book Industry Study Group, reveals that total book sales in 2007 (excluding standardized tests) were $37.26 billion. How was this figure derived? Expert: Michael Healy, Executive Director of the BISG Answer: “BISG has been publishing Book Industry TRENDS for more than thirty years. Over that time,…Continue Reading
Since we last checked in with distributors, in June 2007, there are positive changes for the little guys. This year, micropress distribution experienced turbulence: The Sarasota, Florida–based BookWorld closed in late September 2007 without notifying its 104 clients. In January 2008, National Book Network (NBN) put its micropress sister company Biblio Distribution up for sale….Continue Reading
Licensing Expo came to a close last week. Here are some things we liked: This fall, the Jim Henson Company will air its new show, “Sid the Science Kid,” on PBS. The science show, which uses proprietary digital puppetry technology, is aimed at 3- to 6-year-olds, has a sketch comedy format, and covers topics like…Continue Reading
Licensing International Expo 2008 landed June 10 at the Javits Center just in time for the summer’s first heat wave. Outside, temperatures hit nearly a hundred degrees. Inside, brands like Clifford, Goosebumps, and SpongeBob SquarePants were hot hot hot. In a cooling economy, though, how can retailers make sure consumers choose their brands? In his…Continue Reading
Hoping to shake up the world of online book marketing, today TurnHere unveils a new, expanded version of its BookVideos.tv site. And yet, while the promotional video platform has undergone many changes to presumably improve its functionality and overall consumer experience, only time will tell whether the bond forged between authors and readers through studio-quality…Continue Reading
The debate’s still out on whether America’s officially in a recession, but with food prices rising faster today than they have any time in the past seventeen years, customers may be cutting back on restaurant meals and cooking at home instead. What cookbook will they pick up? Will they pick one up at all? About…Continue Reading
On April 22, we went to the Publishers Advertising and Marketing Association (PAMA) April Luncheon, which featured Henry Copeland, founder and president of BlogAds. Copeland talked about how publishers can better advertise on blogs—how they can, as he put it, “thrive in the kingdom of blog.” Here’s what Copeland says “smart ads” have in common:…Continue Reading
The land of make-believe is now charging admission. Okay, not exactly. But judging from what was discussed at this year’s Virtual Worlds conference, which took place April 3-4 at the Javits Center in New York, this isn’t too far off. Many would agree it was only a matter of time before someone thought to fuse…Continue Reading
It’s been one week since SXSW Interactive came to a close, and there are still two types of publishing people in the world: 1) Those who are counting the days until they can return next year2) Those who think SXSWi is some kind of contagious eye disease For those of you still stuck in the…Continue Reading
