Florida Recount Scrambles Publishers' Publicity Plans

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Florida Recount Scrambles Publishers' Publicity Plans Jim Milliot, Calvin Reid, and Jason Britton -- 12/11/00 *Author interviews canceled or postponed as media focuses on election quagmire* The media coverage of the Florida presidential recount may not be quite as extensive as it was for the Gulf War or the O.J. Simpson trial, but it has been overpowering enough to cause difficulties for publishers trying to book authors on the usual television and radio talk shows. And the recount represents a special problem that the war and Simpson trial did not. "The timing couldn't be worse," said Marilyn Ducksworth, senior v-p for corporate communications and public relations at Penguin Putnam, observing that November and December represent the last chance for a publicity push during the holiday season. Several publicists contacted by PW said that their authors are being bounced from scheduled interviews in favor of breaking news, although most agreed that the various shows are working with publishers to reschedule interviews. "As long as we get re-scheduled before Christmas, we'll be happy," Ducksworth said. Simon & Schuster spokesperson Adam Rothberg said that in addition to having interviews canceled or postponed, some interviews "went off the book" to talk about current events. He cited in particular Bob Woodward, who has been a television favorite, but who has had little chance to promote his new book, Maestro. J Rinaldi, publicity manager at St. Martin's Press, has been working on the publicity for Tim Rosaforte's new book, Raising the Bar: The Championship Year of Tiger Woods. "We've had some interviews but we've also been switched to tape from scheduled live radio interviews and several times we've been postponed. It's not too crazy but it has happened," he said. Knopf v-p and director of promotions Paul Bogaards was philosophical about the situation, noting that books are always the first to get bounced when news breaks. "No one is going to cancel on Mel Gibson," he noted. While the recount has been an "all-consuming story," Knopf has mounted one of its most successful campaigns in years for The Sibley Guide to Birds. Sally Anne McCartin, of Sally Anne McCartin Associates, said that the election itself had caused some problems for getting authors air time. "Radio people told us they couldn't commit to book tours the week before or the week after the election. Only now, a week has become a month," McCartin said. Carol Fass Publicity founder Carol Fass told PW, "The word from the media to publicists is 'don't call us until we have a president.'" McCartin noted, "Unless you've got a book with a hornet's nest of controversy around it, you've got to be flexible." That was also the stance taken by Allison Devlin, director of publicity at HarperCollins children's books, who explained that one of her authors had to be rescheduled for an appearance on one of the morning shows. Sourcebooks has had a mixed experience. It has had trouble getting books on local outlets--with the exception of Florida. "I guess they really need the relief there," speculated spokesperson Judy Kelly. Commitments from Fox News and Larry King Live have been put on hold, but Kelly is hopeful spots will open before Christmas. The recount has not only caused problems with interviews, it has made it harder to get books to be a part of a news story. McCartin said that Time and Newsweek have both cut their book and science sections to accommodate election reporting. On the bright side, authors who have books about crisis management have been in demand, with Fass noting that requests "have been piling up" for Sybil Evans, author of Cliff Street's Hot Buttons: How to Resolve Conflict and Cool Everyone Down. Silver linings aside, most publicists agreed with Devlin, who said, "It's been hard and I'm ready for it to be over--whatever the outcome!"

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Florida Recount Scrambles Publishers' Publicity Plans
Jim Milliot, Calvin Reid, and Jason Britton -- 12/11/00
Author interviews canceled or postponed as media focuses on election quagmire

The media coverage of the Florida presidential recount may not be quite as extensive as it was for the Gulf War or the O.J. Simpson trial, but it has been overpowering enough to cause difficulties for publishers trying to book authors on the usual television and radio talk shows. And the recount represents a special problem that the war and Simpson trial did not. "The timing couldn't be worse," said Marilyn Ducksworth, senior v-p for corporate communications and public relations at Penguin Putnam, observing that November and December represent the last chance for a publicity push during the holiday season.

Several publicists contacted by PW said that their authors are being bounced from scheduled interviews in favor of breaking news, although most agreed that the various shows are working with publishers to reschedule interviews. "As long as we get re-scheduled before Christmas, we'll be happy," Ducksworth said.

Simon & Schuster spokesperson Adam Rothberg said that in addition to having interviews canceled or postponed, some interviews "went off the book" to talk about current events. He cited in particular Bob Woodward, who has been a television favorite, but who has had little chance to promote his new book, Maestro.

J Rinaldi, publicity manager at St. Martin's Press, has been working on the publicity for Tim Rosaforte's new book, Raising the Bar: The Championship Year of Tiger Woods. "We've had some interviews but we've also been switched to tape from scheduled live radio interviews and several times we've been postponed. It's not too crazy but it has happened," he said.

Knopf v-p and director of promotions Paul Bogaards was philosophical about the situation, noting that books are always the first to get bounced when news breaks. "No one is going to cancel on Mel Gibson," he noted. While the recount has been an "all-consuming story," Knopf has mounted one of its most successful campaigns in years for The Sibley Guide to Birds. Sally Anne McCartin, of Sally Anne McCartin Associates, said that the election itself had caused some problems for getting authors air time. "Radio people told us they couldn't commit to book tours the week before or the week after the election. Only now, a week has become a month," McCartin said. Carol Fass Publicity founder Carol Fass told PW, "The word from the media to publicists is 'don't call us until we have a president.'" McCartin noted, "Unless you've got a book with a hornet's nest of controversy around it, you've got to be flexible." That was also the stance taken by Allison Devlin, director of publicity at HarperCollins children's books, who explained that one of her authors had to be rescheduled for an appearance on one of the morning shows.

Sourcebooks has had a mixed experience. It has had trouble getting books on local outlets--with the exception of Florida. "I guess they really need the relief there," speculated spokesperson Judy Kelly. Commitments from Fox News and Larry King Live have been put on hold, but Kelly is hopeful spots will open before Christmas.

The recount has not only caused problems with interviews, it has made it harder to get books to be a part of a news story. McCartin said that Time and Newsweek have both cut their book and science sections to accommodate election reporting.

On the bright side, authors who have books about crisis management have been in demand, with Fass noting that requests "have been piling up" for Sybil Evans, author of Cliff Street's Hot Buttons: How to Resolve Conflict and Cool Everyone Down.

Silver linings aside, most publicists agreed with Devlin, who said, "It's been hard and I'm ready for it to be over--whatever the outcome!"