MAIN NEWS HEADLINES
November 8 – November 15, 2007 Edition
Houghton Mifflin
Joins Publishers’ Rush
to Mobile Content
NEW YORK, NY/11/3/07–Houghton Mifflin will deliver electronic books to cell phones through a newly-signed agreement with Mobifusion. Houghton will begin by preparing mobile versions of reference and children’s titles, expanding later to other trade titles. Titles to initially be adapted to handheld devices include the American Heritage Student Science Dictionary and The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy.
The company joins a rush of book publishers to offer mobile content through similar technical alliances, including Hachette, Simon & Schuster and Avalon. As mobile technology advances, publishers are able to offer content through a variety of systems, some of which require no special device or software by the end user. Telephone carriers offering Houghton Mifflin titles will include Canada’s Bell Mobility, Qwest, Embarq, Orange UK and others. Publishers and carriers will determine whether users will access content through subscriptions or individual downloads.
The books will be available for customers who have service from a handful of carriers including Embarq, Qwest, Orange UK and Bell Mobility (in Canada) with more to come, according to Houghton publicity director Lori Glazer. Glazer added that the titles will potentially be available both through subscription and individual download, with carriers determining the method. According to HM, the price will be in line with existing market fees, which means cost will be based on list price. Potential discounts may also be wrapped around bundle purchases.
Mobifusion partners with top developers and media brand owners across the world to bring entertainment and information to mobile. The company uses patent-pending core technologies like m-Publishing and m-Engine. The technologies enable Mobifusion to extend mobile applications across multiple platforms, so applications can be seamlessly delivered to the broadest global consumer audience through an established global network of carriers and online retail channels.
Mobifusion was founded in 2005 by a seasoned management team experienced in mobile technology, media and publishing, distribution and consumer marketing. The company has offices in the US and India.
NY/7/30/07–George Hodgman has been named vice president and senior executive editor of the Houghton Mifflin adult trade group, effective September 10. Hodgman replaces Eamon Dolan, HM’s v-p and editor-in-chief, who has departed to join Penguin Group USA in a similar capacity. Prior to joining HM, Hodgman served as executive editor at Henry Holt and in a senior editorial role at Simon & Schuster.
In July, Houghton Mifflin acquired the Harcourt Education, Harcourt Trade and Greenwood-Heinemann divisions from Reed Elsevier. The addition of Harcourt Trade to Houghton Mifflin’s rich library of literature and reference titles will create a preeminent publisher with one of the industrys most distinguished lists of authors.
