Open Road Integrated Media has teamed with Italian publishing giant Mondadori to digitize, distribute and market English-language e-book versions of titles from Mondadori's catalogue. Mondadori is Open Road’s first foreign publishing partner and kicks off the company’s international publishing partner program. “Open Road is committed to working with international publishers to bring works from foreign countries to a wider audience than they have ever had before,” said Open Road cofounder Jane Friedman. “We are excited to build on the success we have enjoyed with our American partners and to start our international publishing program with Mondadori." The announcement was made today at the London Book Fair.
Open Road will begin marketing the digital editions of Mondadori titles this summer starting with 50 ebooks. As part of its marketing effort Open Road will create original videos that will be distributed through its online platform and syndicated to content partners. The Mondadori titles will be on sale globally through Open Road’s usual e-tailing outlets including Amazon.com, Apple iBookstore, BarnesandNoble.com, Google/IndieBound, Kobo Books,OverDrive, and the Sony Reader Store.
"Thanks to the digital revolution," said Maurizio Costa, deputy chairman and chief executive of the Mondadori Group, "geographical barriers are falling and the publisher is increasingly becoming also the promoter of its authors, not only at the national level, but also internationally.” The agreement with Open Road, Costa added, will give Mondadori’s authors “direct access to the biggest market in the world."
