Right Turn at Two Largest New York (publishing) Houses

Publishers Weekly ^ | April 23, 2003 | Steven Zeitchik

[MississippiMan]

Right Turn at Two Largest New York Houses

Not that we're thinking of leaving our day jobs, but we've had a few publishing-consultant moments in the last few months that had us wondering in print why, political reasons aside, more big publishers didn't start cutting into the conservative-publishing pie that Regnery and a couple others have been feasting on these last few years.

Now, within several days of each other, the country's two largest houses have announced their first incisions. Penguin says it will do fifteen new conservative-leaning titles in a yet-to-be-named imprint under Adrian Zackheim, who's been concentrating on business titles at Portfolio but also has notched Newt Gingrich's bestseller and other titles from Republican celebrities. The company calls the titles "books of political opinion and dissent with a conservative perspective." At the moment, no new editors have been hired for the line.

From a publishing standpoint, perhaps the most interesting part of the story lies with David Shanks, who will be temporarily donning a new hat to play "an active part" in the acquisition and marketing of these books.

In an interview, Zackheim said he wanted to establish Portfolio's business list before going ahead with a new line but that the idea has been percolating and gaining steam for a while. "It's a category neglected by mainstream houses," says Zackheim, "and it's so hot that David and Susan didn't want to wait any longer." Zackheim says the company will "not be going after anyone's formula," and that books will range from the pop-journalism of the Regnery titles to memoir to even possibly some academic titles a la the more coneheaded Spence.

At Random House, Crown's Steve Ross has announced a new conservative line, coincidentally also for fifteen titles (the number of times Clinton did not have sex with that woman?). The division will be combining its own program with the recently incorporated list of Prima Forum, calling the imprint Crown Forum. (At the time of the Prima integration, it wasn't clear how many titles would be retained; now, Crown says, the house has decided to keep a chunk of them as well as build the list itself.)

The house kicked off the announcement with news of a new Ann Coulter book, titled Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism, that it will bring out in June. Prima Forum was known for a number of bestselling conservative titles and was one of the more successful imprints at the soon-to-be-shuttered West Coast branch.--Steven Zeitchik

[MinuteGal]

I hope conservative authors remain loyal to the Regnery publishing house which gave them a voice when they were shut out by the lefty publishing giants.

Leni

[freedomcrusader]

I hope conservative authors remain loyal to the Regnery publishing house which gave them a voice when they were shut out by the lefty publishing giants.

The house kicked off the announcement with news of a new Ann Coulter book, titled Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism, that it will bring out in June.

Too late!

[Tamzee]

It's funny how liberal political authors are just considered part of core product of a publishing house and now they have to create "conservative" sections with special editors and all.

But mainstream media isn't biased.... nahhh....

[MinuteGal]

Yes, I noted that which is why I posted what I did in a general way.

Probably conservative book-writers get more money, greater promotional support and better distribution from the big lefty publishing houses.

Yet many conservative authors exhort us to boycott liberal products, businesses and advertisers so as to not line their pockets.

I'm not all in a big sweat about this. I just like to point out tinges of hypocracy when I see it.

Leni

[Rhetorical pi2]

I don't see this as Conservative authors "supporting" liberal book companies. I see this as another brick getting knocked out of the wall.
As the big publishers see the improvement in the bottom line these authors' book sales make, another brick will get knocked out. The time may come when the wall they have built to keep Conservatives out will crumble.
I have often looked at the Best Seller lists and wondered how the publishers could justify their left-wing politics vs. profit to their stockholders.
The flip side of this is that, until now, there weren't enough Conservative titles, so each one rockets to the top of the list. When there are more titles, there may be a wider distribution of Conservative books, but not as many at the top.

[MississippiMan]

I have often looked at the Best Seller lists and wondered how the publishers could justify their left-wing politics vs. profit to their stockholders.

Bingo and bravo! And that conundrum is exactly what's at play here.

MM

[Cicero]

Things would have to go a lot further than this before it would cut into Regnery. In fact, if publishing conservative books gains some respectability in the publishing industry, then we will begin to see conservative books getting more widely reviewed and better supported by the book chains. Barnes & Noble and the other sellers will no longer be able to hide all these titles in the closet. Book reviews will be forced to deal with the realities.

[aristeides]

And Michael Savage had to turn to a Nashville Christian publishing house, WND Books, to publish The Savage Nation.