News

HC, BET.com in Web Venture
Jim Milliot -- 10/23/00
Publisher to launch books channel geared toward literary interests and tastes of African-Americans


HarperCollins sees BET site as an important
channel to reach African-Americans.
HarperCollins has teamed up with BET.com to launch a books channel on the BET.com Web site that will be geared toward the literary interests and tastes of African-Americans. In addition, the partners plan to start an online bookstore before Christmas. The store will be named after HC's African-American imprint, Amistad Press, and will be called Amistad Bookstore. The online store as well as the channel will include books and information from all publishers that might appeal to the African-American audience.
David Steinberger, president of corporate strategy and international for HC, told PW he hopes that establishing the books channel will facilitate sales to the African-American market, an idea ech d by Charles Harris, founder of Amistad Press. The channel and store "will provide greater access for African-Americans to a wide array of books, especially those who may not live near a bookstore," Harris told PW, adding that he hoped the creation of a direct pipeline to the African-American market will encourage publishers to produce more titles of interest to that particular community.

The bookstore will carry several thousand titles that will focus on, but not be limited to, books by and about African-Americans. Steinberger noted that the launching of the Amistad Bookstore is part of HC's strategy to make Amistad "the preeminent brand in African-American publishing."

Highlights of the books channel include a New Author Forum with excerpts from works by new African-American writers, a book club that will meet online monthly and reviews of books by African-American authors. Harris will write a minimum of two columns per month for the section and there will also be profiles and interviews with authors. "We have developed an unparalleled online destination for people who enjoy African-American books and literature," said Bob Johnson, chairman and CEO of BET.com.