Even as an acquisition transfers financial control of Sweden’s Akademibokhandeln chain, reading-trend figures paint a concerning picture.
Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial Is Acquiring Spain’s Ediciones B
Penguin Random House widens its footprint in Spanish-language markets with the acquisition of Ediciones B, which is based in Spain and has imprints across Latin America.
Canadian Retail: Rakuten Kobo Acquires Shelfie Technology
Rakuten Kobo will use Shelfie’s tech to identify reader preferences for recommendations and to offer ebook editions of print books owned by users.
W3C’s Jeff Jaffe: With IDPF Onboard, Time for a New ‘Publishing Roadmap’
Despite months of controversy, the now-completed W3C-IDPF merger means, says Jeff Jaffe, ‘an empowering environment’ for publishing’s development.
Industry Changes: Nielsen Book’s US Services Sold to NPD Group
Market research firm NPD has acquired the US-based services of Nielsen Book, adding book data to its point-of-sale tracking across more than 20 industries.
A Cold Start to the Year for Poland’s Publishers: Waiting for Regulatory Help
In Poland, publishing stakeholders stay the need for protective regulation—liked fixed book prices—and IP protection are needed to curb declining book sales.
International Notes: Firebrand Buys Canada’s Enthrill Assets, HarperCollins Withdraws Crowley Book
Ebook distributor Enthrill is acquired by Firebrand; HarperCollins halts digital sales of a Trump appointee’s book amid plagiarism allegations.
Germany’s Thieme Acquiring Schattauer Verlag
‘Not only our topics and quality standards, but also the location of our headquarters’: German STM publishing specialists Thieme and Schattauer will merge.
International Industry Notes: Nielsen’s ISBN Store, Wiley’s Purchase
In the UK, Nielsen’s ISBN program has stepped into the digital age with what it describes as sure-footed grace. In the US, an internationally placed STM content platform is bought by a customer.
US-Based Copyright Clearance Center Buys the UK’s Ixxus
Content management meets rights management in a newly announced acquisition by Massachusetts’ Copyright Clearance Center of London’s Ixxus, another interesting merger in a world of digital publishing.