Publishers streamline operations, seek to broaden reach

Zondervan has laid off 30 employees as part of “consolidation of some publishing units.” The Grand Rapids, Mich., publisher—which still has 374 employees—said it was streamlining operations, but was also hiring people for its digital and multimedia operations.

Meanwhile, Hachette Book Group (HBG) USA recently announced changes to its Nashville-based FaithWords and Center Street, intended to help broaden the reach of the two imprints.

“We’ve developed a comprehensive strategic plan, which includes consolidation of some publishing units, streamlining of sales and operations and, unfortunately, the elimination of about 30 positions companywide,” Zondervan spokesperson Tara Powers said.

“While streamlining our operations is necessary in the context of both our business mandate and our mission to reach more people for Christ, it makes these changes no less difficult.”

Powers said the employees who were let go mid-April were given severance packages. Despite the layoffs, the company’s Web site listed 18 job openings—15 positions in the Grand Rapids headquarters and three in Zondervan’s Seattle office.

“We will be looking to add people who have digital and multimedia experience as that will be an important area as the demand for e-books and digital formats continues to grow,” Powers added.

Elsewhere, Rolf Zettersten—HBG senior vice president and publisher of FaithWords and Center Street—said new positions would be created, and Center Street’s staff would be moved to the parent company’s New York City office, where they will have more opportunity to work directly with literary agents and media.

Effective May 3, the changes included: moving all advertising and promotion responsibilities for both imprints to the New York office; boosting online promotions and presence with a new, New York-based staffer for FaithWords and Center Street; hiring a marketing manager in New York; and creating a three-person Center Street office in New York, comprised of an editor, a publicist and an assistant.

Since the launch of the Nashville office nearly 10 years ago, FaithWords and Center Street have sold more than 51 million books. The imprints have attracted best-selling authors such as Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, Karen Kingsbury, Ted Dekker and John Maxwell.

HBG USA had double-digit sales growth last year, according to financial reports recently released by its parent company, French media conglomerate Lagardère.

Hachette’s total earnings before interest and taxes in 2009 increased 24% to approximately $455 million, company officials said. Besides the success of Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” saga, several other titles—including William P. Young’s The Shack—were cited in contributing to the growth.