BTW News Briefs

BlogWorld & New Media Expo East to Be Held in Conjunction With BEA

BlogWorld & New Media Expo, a social media business conference and new media industry trade show, will expand to include an East Coast event that will be co-located with BookExpo America 2011.

“This is a perfect fit for BookExpo America,” said BEA Show Manager Steven Rosato. “We have been building our blogger base, and social media has emerged as a powerful force in book publishing and marketing in recent years….We expect this association will strongly benefit our respective attendees and exhibitors for many years to come. Reed Exhibitions has wide international reach, and as a leading organizer of business to business events we not only plan to build awareness for BlogWorld & New Media Expo in America but throughout the world as well.”

BlogWorld & New Media Expo expects more than 1,500 attendees, 200 speakers, and 100 sponsors/exhibitors to participate in the inaugural East Coast event. Access to the BlogWorld & New Media Expo exhibit floor will be complimentary for all BEA badge holders, and access to the BlogWorld conference can be purchased separately. Access to BEA will be complimentary for all BlogWorld & New Media Expo conference attendees.

BEA 2011 will take place May 24 - 26 at the Javits Convention Center in New York City.

Hometown Paper Takes on Amazon’s Sales Tax Position

In a February 15 editorial, the Seattle Times said, “We wish Amazon and its people well, but we cannot support the company’s campaign to dodge the payment of state sales tax all across America.” This is not the first time that the paper has disagreed with its “neighbor’s” position on sales tax. The Seattle Times previously came out in support of North Carolina’s right to go after money owned by Amazon.

Noting Amazon’s plans to close a Texas distribution center because it has been hit with a $269 million bill for back taxes, the editorial said: “That would have been a slick strategy for the 1990s, or maybe even today for a company nobody ever heard of. But Amazon, which ambitiously named itself for the biggest river on Earth, has become what its name implies. It is the Internet’s widest and deepest source of products, which makes it too big to be excused from its obligations.

“Amazon is going to lose this fight. It knows this. It is trying to drag its feet as long as it can because it is profitable to do so.”

Penguin Partners With NetGalley

Penguin has signed with NetGalley to share digital galleys with reviewers, media contacts, booksellers, librarians, educators, and other professional readers. Readers will be able to view select Penguin titles on computers and a variety of e-reader devices.

Consortium Signs Four Publishers

Consortium Book Sales & Distribution has inked deals with four new publishers for Spring 2011: 1001 Inventions, Behler Publications, GLAS New Russian Writing, and Nortia Press. Books from Behler and Nortia are available from Consortium effective immediately. 1001 Inventions and GLAS titles will be available through Consortium beginning March 1.

S&S and Ripley Entertainment Ink Distribution Agreement

Simon & Schuster will handle all sales, distribution, and fulfillment for Ripley Entertainment in the U.S. and Canada starting April 1.

Ripley Entertainment’s titles were previously distributed by Perseus in the U.S. and by Mint Publishing in Canada.

Executive Director of SPAN Steps Down

Scott Flora is stepping down as executive director of the Small Publishers Association of North America (SPAN), effective March 15. His replacement is Brad Poulson, SPAN’s current communications director. Poulson has a background in business and nonprofit management.

“Through all these changes, I know SPAN will continue its mission of helping authors and independent publishers become more successful,” said Flora.