Pearson wins California test contract

SACRAMENTO, California, December 31, 2002 -- The California Department of Education awarded Pearson Educational Measurement a three-year, $39 million contract for the Golden State Examination program. Test creator ACT will be a subcontractor for item and test development. The Golden State Exam program is intended to measure the advanced student achievement on the California academic content standards.

Mark A. Radice (music), Ithaca College, wrote Concert Music of the Twentieth Century: Its Personalities, Institutions, and Techniques (Prentice Hall). Roger Schlesinger (history), Washington State University, Frederick W. Blackwell (history), Washington State University, Kathryn E. Meyer (history), Washington State University, Mary A. Watrous-Schlesinger (history), Washington State University, wrote Global Passages: Sources in World History (Houghton Mifflin). William J. Valmont (education), University of Arizona, wrote Technology for Literacy Teaching and Learning (Houghton Mifflin).

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McGraw expands GED prep products

MONTEREY, California, December 31, 2002 -- McGraw-Hill's CTB assessment products unit announced publication of science, social studies, algebra and geometry additionsto its Tests of Adult Basic Education produyct line. The new TABE units are advanced-level tests for adult preparingf for the new General Education Development test, CTB said. The tests supplement TABE's core reading, language, math and spelling basic-skills tests.

TEST- ING CTB

It's over: Houghton back in U.S. hands PARIS, December 30, 2002 -- Vivendi's brief venture into U.S. book publishing came to an end officially. Control of Boston-based Houghton Mifflin was given over to two Boston investment companies whose offer was accepted in October. Thomas Lee Partners and Bain Capital, with some cash contributed by the Blackstone Group in London, paid US$1.7 billion -- roughly US$1.3 billion in cash and US$380 million in debt assumption. Vivendi had owned Houghton only 17 months. The old-line Boston pubisher, a major textbook producer, had been acquired when Jean-Marie Messier was buying diverse media properties all over the world. He paid US$2.2 billion. When it was discovered the Vivendi was way overextended and in danger of defaulting on its debts, Messier was fired. To raise cash in a hurry, Houghton was among the first properties that Messier's successors put up for sale.

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN EARLIER ARTICLE Houghton to control Kingfisher

Norwich leans for Peterson's web center

LAWRENCEVILLE, New Jersey, December 30, 2002 -- Online distance learning provder Peterson's expanded its agreement with Norwich University to promote the school's online graduate degree programs. Norwich, a Vermont-based military college, will draw on Peterson's Microsite Content Center site to provides prospective students with information about Norwich's online programs. One program, leading to a master's in diplomacy, includes courses on terrorism and international conflict management. Also included will be Norwich's new federally charted non-profit institution for the identification, analysis and evaluation of new technologies against terrorism and associated cyber-crime. Fred Snow, Norwich's online graduate dean, called Peterson's "a close ally in our marketing."

PETERSON'S

Reed: Good outcome despite tough 2002

AMSTERDAM, December 29, 2002 -- Reed Elsevier reaffirmed that it is on track to deliver double-digit earnings for 2002 despite the continuing tough economic environment. Its Harcourt K-12 business in the United States has performed well against a market "that is now expected to be weaker than in the prior year," the company said. A weaker adoptions cycle compounded by cautious state spending hurt sales, but revenues should be comparable to a year earlier, Reed said in a statement. The company noted that Harcourt has gained the leading market share of new state adoption revenues and has performed well in backlist sales and in open territories. The Harcourt testing business has seen good growth driven by state testing contracts, the company said. The company's science and medical unit, Elsevier Science has performed well, Reed said. Journal subscription renewals in science and technology are strong, the statement said. When customers switch to electronic-only contracts, many are adding new services, including backfiles and subject collections.

REED

Elizabeth F. Barkley (music), Foothill College, wrote Crossroads: Popular Music in America (Prentice Hall). Richard W. Bulliet (history), Columbia University, Pamela Kyle Crossley (history), Dartmouth College,Daniel R. Headrick (history), Roosevelt University, Steven W. Hirsch (history), Tufts University, Lyman L. Johnson (history), University of North Carolina-Charlotte, and David Northrup (history), Boston College, wrote the second edition of The Earth and Its Peoples: Brief Edition (Houghton Mifflin). Jim Redmond (broadcasting), University of Memphis, Frederick ShookDan Lattimore (broadcasting), University of Memphis, wrote the sixth edition of The Broadcast News Process (Morton).

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Delmar's Milady, Clairol in joint project

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona, December 28, 2002 -- An alliance to develop haircolor education was announced by Clairol Professional and Delmar Learning, which offers cosmetology training materials color-training module for regional and private seminars. Clairol and Milady also plan a student guide for cosmetology schools worldwide. Milady has recently introduced core textbook revisions of cosmetology, nail technology and esthetics and has also introduced a new advanced-level esthetics curriculum.

DELMAR

Elsevier eyes German, Austrian medical deal

AMSTERDAM, December 27, 2002 -- Dutch-based publishing giant Elsevier Science offered to buy Holtzbrinck's German scientific, medical and techncial publishing business, subject to approval from anti-trust agencies in Germany and Austria. The deal would strengten Elsevier in medical science publishing in Germany through the integration of Holtzbrink's Urban & Fisher. Also included in the deal would be Holtzbrink's Spectrum Akademischer Verlag, a science and technology unit; Rothacker and Servicecenter Fachverlage, a medical mail-order service; and a fulfilment and distribution service provider for professional publishers. Together, these companies had a combined 2001 sales of 57 million euros.

REED

Tax Form 1099s may go to agents

Holiday greetings from sa2

Our card to authors everywhere

Texas OKs Saxon pre-K program

Heinle strikes Irish distribution deal

BOSTON, Massachusetts, December 24, 2002 -- The Thomson languages subsidiary, Heinle, signed with Abacus Communications to distribute Heinle e-language software in Ireland.

HEINLE

Financial trouble at journal subscription firm

Ann Raimes (writing), Hunter College, City University of New York, wrote the third edition of Keys for Writers: A Brief Handbook (Houghton Mifflin). Rodney J. Scott (genetics), Wheaton College, wrote Contemporary Genetics Laboratory Manual (Morton). Larry M. Timm (music), California State University, Fullerton, wrote the fifth edition of The Soul of Cinema: An Appreciation of Film Music (Prentice Hall).

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McGraw confident on 2003 textbook earnings

NEW YORK, December 23, 2002 -- The McGraw-Hill media company, a major textbook producer, expects earnings growth of at least 7 percent in 2003 and perhaps into the double digits. Chief executive Terry McGraw characterized the year ahead as one of continued solid growth. Unlike some other publishing executives, McGraw downplayed the impact of state revenue problems on school purchases. Education remains a priority of the American people, he said: "Elected officials will work very hard to protect funding." Federal funding under the No Child Left Behind Act, which supports outcomes testing, will help drive el-hi sales, he said. On the college textbook market, which is steadier than el-hi, McGraw noted that the company has had double-digit growth for two years -- twice the market rate. What this means for authors: McGraw's upbeat assessment should put authors in a stronger negotiating position.

MCGRAW EARLIER ARTICLE McGraw crystal ball: Better el-hi year ahead

Wiley, Reed, chemists settle copyright claim

DENVER, Colorado, December 22, 2002 -- A Denver document delivery company, Access/Information, agreed to pay the American Chemical Society and two journal publishers, Wiley and Reed Elsevier, for downloading and distributing copyright-protected PDF files without permission. The amount of the settlement was not announced. Access/Information agreed to seek permissions in the future.

WILEY REED

Wiley creates new computer series

HOBOKEN, New Jersey, December 21, 2002 -- The Wiley publishing house launched a computer training series for programmers and developers, Sixty Minutes a Day, with 12 hours of online instruction included in the purchase price. The package includes video, audio, presentation, chat and polling tools, as well as sample code. The first four titles include XML in 60 Minutes a Day.

JOHN WILEY & SONS

Congressman: Patriot Act needs reining in

U.S. copyright agency took 15% Copy-Dan fee

Yale to straddle trade, academic markets

Educational Development Corporation: Revenue rose 30 percent to a record $7.8 million in the third quarter, compared to a year earlier. The Home Business Division was up 39 percent, the Publishing Division up 6.4 percent.

Wiley: Revenues for the second quarter grew 27 percent to $223 million, compared to a year earlier. First-half revenues, also up 27 percent, reached $429.4 million..

Perverse justice? Used books stolen

Publishers brace for port disruption

Study: College students barely study

Lee Brandon (writing), Mt. San Antonio College, wrote the second edition of At a Glance: Sentences (Houghton Mifflin). Ellen Faran was named director of MIT Press to replace Frank Urbanowski, who is retiring.. Reg Maton, former chief information officer at several companies, including Tiffany, Olympus America, Standard Microsystems, and Symbol Technologies, was named senior vice president and chief information officer. Laura Williams Rice (agriculture), California Polytechnic State University, and Robert P. Rice Jr. (agriculture), California Polytechnic State University, wrote the fifth edition of Practical Horticulture (Prentice Hall). Linda Wong (writing), Lane Community College, wrote Sentence Essentials: Grammar Guide (Houghton Mifflin).

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California cracking down on book weight

College test: Students love e-books

Scientists plan two free online journals

Legislators seek action on book prices

John Donatich, publisher at Basic Books, was named director of Yale University Press to replace John Ryden, who is retiring.. William Trochim (marketing), Cornell University, wrote The Research Methods Knowledge Base (Atomic Dog). John Langan (education), Atlantic Cape Community College, wrote the seventh edition of Reading and Study Skills (McGraw-Hill). Pat Tierney, chief executive at Thomson Financial, was named chief executive at the Reed Elsevier Global Educational Publishing Division. Hans F.E. Wachtmeister (biology), Belmont Hill School, and Larry J. Scott (biology), Central Virginia Community College, wrote the sixth edition of Encounters With Life (Morton).

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Did lobbyist dollars taint book choices?

Pearson: Turnaround is at hand

LONDON, December 16, 2002 -- Strong U.S. college and consumer publishing businesses mean that Pearson, the London-based media conglomerate, will have "a significant earnings recovery for the full year," the company said. College publishing was projected to grow more than 10 percent. The recovery for Pearson, whose high-rider status was undermined in the global recession, said its recovery is expected despite the lagging U.S. el-hi market, the strong pound and continuing advertising revenue problems at the company's Financial Times newspaper. Because of a weaker school adoption schedule, U.S. el-hi sales will be off 5 to 6 percent , the company said. U.S. professional operations will have sales growth of more than 40 percent, helped by NCS Pearson Government Solutions and professional testing.

Harvard Press into instant printing mode

Critic: Tox journal behind the times