Under John Paulson's administration, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Riverdeep EPMG et al. is swimming along.
Now there's a new leader for what is left of Barry O'Callaghan's dream of grandeur, what's left after his little minnow of a publisher Riverdeep swallowed a couple of behemoth publishing whales.
Rather a Captain Ahab sort of character, isn't he?
So the great white whale swims on through educational publishing materials waters, and there's a new captain at the helm.
Not a denizen of the publishing world is Ms. Linda K. Zecher. She comes from another firm that was once a minnow and now rules the digital waves. Ms. Zecher is a product of Bill Gates' Microsoft Corporation.
When Mr. O'Callaghan set out to create the world's largest educational publishing materials company, he had the digital world in mind. His Riverdeep start-up was all about the electronic side of publishing, and it's clear that Mr. Paulson is continuing where Mr. O'Callaghan went aground.
The new CEO of HMH is all about technology. She's a product of the industry, and it is hoped that her background will translate into future success for HMH.
But what about the books?
What is going to happen to trade publications, to the fiction and non-fiction hard copies that HMH produces? Would someone who knows all about tech and computers be the right person to guide a traditional publisher?
Does John Paulson seem to be signalling his intent to unload the traditional publishing arm of HMH, to focus on the digital future?
4 comments:
The new leader is downsizing. Trade and Education are merging. (wait, what?) See http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/houghton-mifflin-harcourt-to-restructure_b42111
There's no end to the synergies that can be realized. Before long, HMH will consist of Mr. Paulson, his secretary, and the cleaner.
Authors can use Adobe software to create their own manuscripts, so there goes a whole department. Yes, there are so many more potential synergies....
I don't hold out much hope for the cleaner, myself. That's outsourced to companies that hire workers of questionable legality. Secretary...maybe. But no receptionist. The little division of HM I used to work for actually remodeled the lobby to get rid of the receptionist's desk after the position was eliminated. Guess they wanted to avoid the embarrassment of someone expecting a human to greet them and not getting one.
I'm picturing someone standing there, shouting out "Hello?" in an echoing cavern and getting no response....like the last survivor of the apocalypse.
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