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Former Congresswoman Schroeder

Heads Association

Of American Publishers

WASHINGTON, DC/ FEB 97-- Former Colorado Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder becomes President and Chief Executive Officer of the Association of American Publishers, effective June 1, 1997.

Ms. Schroder joins the US book publishing industry's national trade association after completing her current teaching commitment at Princeton University. She succeeds Ambassador Nicholas A. Veliotes, retiring this spring after 11 years as AAP President.

AAP Chairman Richard Robinson, Chairman and CEO of Scholastic Inc., announced Ms. Schroeder's unanimously-approved appointment after a year-long executive search.

Ms. Schroeder is an outspoken advocate of strong intellectual property protection and a leader in the fight for free expression

New British Film Studio

Plans To Produce

50 Pictures In Six Years

TORONTO, CANADA/FEB 97 -- A group of Britain's most dynamic and talented producers whose work includes The Commitments, Dance With A Stranger and Restoration, have formed a new film company to bid on funding offered in a National Lottery by the British Arts Council. The funding, to be awarded in May, 1997, is designed to secure the successful future of the British Film Industry.

Studio Pictures forms the core of a consortium which includes Alliance Communications Corporation (TSE: AAC.A, AAC.B, Nasdaq: ALLIF), Electric Pictures and a development deal with BBC Films. Alliance made the announcement February 27.

Studio Pictures intends to produce more than 50 new British films during the first six years, for a projected total investment of 180 million pounds sterling of which over 120 million pounds would be new money, more than three times the Arts Council's allocation.

Its operations will generate a brand new development fund of nearly 10 million pounds over six years and will fund an imaginative industry training program of around half a million pounds over the same time scale.

The consortium, led by George Faber who, as former Head of BBC Single Drama, is one of the UK's leading producers and commissioners, responsible most recently for Priest, Persuasion and Cold Comfort Farm. As Managing Director of Studio Pictures, George will draw on his considerable experience in attracting top film-making talent and his widely acknowledged expertise for being able to spot and develop new talent.

Studio Pictures has formed a strategic relationship with BBC Films (Truly, Madly, Deeply, The Snapper, Land and Freedom) which will provide the company with a significant development fund and a firm commitment to broadcast some of Studio Pictures' films.

Texas Book Publishers

To Launch Web Pages

On Authorlink! Site

DALLAS/FEB 28, 97--The Book Publishers of Texas will establish a presence on the World Wide Web early this summer, with a special BPT segment on Authorlink! Authorlink! --a leading on-line news and information service for editors, agents, authors and booksellers--reaches more than 3,000 targeted publishing industry readers monthly, and readership should double by year's end.

Book Publishers of Texas will feature a comprehensive news and information area of its own within the popular Authorlink! The area will feature conference news, a membership directory and other information, and the BPT web address will be promoted in literature.

Authorlink! aggressively markets ready-to-publish manuscripts to publishers and literary agencies, worldwide, in addition to its news services. Regular Authorlink! visitors include: Berkley, Simon & Schuster, Random House, Harlequin, Carol Publishing and more.

The BPT board of directors selected Authorlink! as its home site because of the service's outstanding quality and presence in the marketplace. Praise includes comments like these:

Berkley Senior Editor Thomas J. Colgan, has called Authorlink! " a worthy service with a great future."

Literary Agent Elisabet McHugh, who has signed several Authorlink! writers as clients says Authorlink! "is the most useful and best maintained of all writing-related web sites. "

The site is located at: http://www.authorlink.com

Authorlink! Helps

Ohio Writer

Cinch First Sale

LIMA, OH/ FEB, 1997--Linda D. Swink, DTM this month became the first author to sell her book to a major publisher, as a direct result of Authorlink! Linda has signed a contract with Carol Publishing Group to release "Speak With Power and Grace: A Woman's Guide to Public Speaking," a work that Linda had initially self- published. The sale was a double victory for Authorlink! which first matched Linda to Agent Elisabet McHugh of TechServices, Inc., who in turn negotiated the sale.

"It took Authorlink! only five months to accomplished what I had tried for two years," said Linda Swink.

After an unsuccessful stint with an agent in 1994, Linda self- published the work in November, 1995. She signed on with Authorlink! in July, 1996, hoping only to "sell a few books." Agent McHugh discovered the work on Authorlink! in October and after only 13 days offered to represent her. Less than two months later, Prentice Hall showed interest, but said it might have difficulty fitting the book into its schedule. Meanwhile, Carol Publishing Group spotted the work on Authorlink! and also made an offer, which Ms. Swink and Ms. McHugh accepted in February.

A professional speaker for seven years, Swink has trained executives, managers, secretaries, dietitians, records clerks, bank executives, doctors, and educators. She has been a featured speaker at conferences across the country.

As owner of Deloma Productions, Swink conducts seminars and workshops that focus on communication and presentation skills for women. Five of her most popular workshops are: "Talk Your Way to Success," "Effective Listening Skills", "Conducting Productive Meetings", "Professional Telephone Skills", and "Developing the Leader Within."

Swink has been a member of Toastmasters International for ten years where she has participated in more than twenty Toastmaster speech contests, winning in eleven. Swink holds the title of Distinguished Toastmaster, DTM, the highest level of accomplishment in Toastmasters International.

Authorlink!, the on-line information service for editors, agents and writers, has been on the Internet for only 11 months. Already, the service showcases descriptions of more than 150 available manuscripts, from throughout the world--including writers from Iceland, Israel, Switzerland, Singapore, Liechtenstein and Canada, and throughout the US. Of these works, 117 have been requested by editors and agents, and 23 writers have signed with agents as a direct result of the service. In addition to the Swink sale, at least three other deals are pending--all as a direct result of Authorlink!

Simon & Schuster

Supersite Premieres

NEW YORK/FEB 97--Simon & Schuster in mid February launched its supersite on the World Wide Web. The site encompasses more than 100 web sites in educational, professional, computer, reference and business publishing. The company plans to create more than 500,000 pages on the site, offering full text of books, downloadable software, and more. Simon & Schuster predicts it will generate more than $100 million in revenues from book and software sales over the Internet.

AAP To Co-Sponsor

BookExpo America

FEB 18, 97-- The Association of American Publishers (AAP) has formally agreed to co-sponsor the BookExpo America (formerly the ABA Convention and Trade Exhibit). AAP will also serve in an advisory capacity to help formulate policy decisions and future direction.

Association Exposition & Services (AE&S), a Reed Exhibition Company, continues to own and manage BookExpo America. The new arrangement takes effect immediately.

AAP will take part in developing programs and strategic plans for the trade exhibit, assistance on author programs, promotion of the event to AAP members and the broader publishing community, sponsorship of educational programs and meetings, and an awards event.

While the AAP will provide BEA with counsel from publishers' perspectives, the American Booksellers Association continues as an advisor and sponsor to the show. The ABA is in charge of the education program at the exhibit which includes all seminars, lectures, and workshops on behalf of booksellers.

The Association of American Publishers is the national trade association of the US book publishing industry. AAP's approximately 200 members publish a wide range of books and educational materials, computer software and electronic products and services.

AE&S, one of the Reed Exhibition Companies, is a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. and a member of the Reed Elsevier plc group, one of the world's leading information and publishing businesses. The Reed Elsevier plc group has annual sales in excess of $5.7 billion and over 25,000 employees. It is owned equally by Reed International PLC. (NYSE: RUK).

For more information on exhibiting at BookExpo America, please call 800-840-5614. For general information on the event, please visit the BookExpo America web site at http://bookexpo.reedexpo.com. All other inquiries should be forwarded to BookExpo America, 383 Main Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851.

Pearson Attributes

Penguin Scandal

To Lone Employee

THE UK/ FEB 97--Pearson, the UK-based publishing conglomerate which now owns Penguin USA, has confirmed that an accounting scandal at Penguin is the work of one junior employee with no financial motive.

The scandal, which led to a pounds 100m charge against Pearson's 1996 accounts, involved granting unauthorized discounts to booksellers in return for early payment. Person confirmed the employee had apparently been giving the discounts over a period of six years. Company officials said they have not suspended any other employees, and that they would continue to investigate the matter.

Media analysts were skeptical of the claim that one woman had masterminded the situation with no financial motive.

Star Telegram's

Ousted Publisher

Sues Cap Cities/ABC

DALLAS/FEB 24, 97-- Richard L. Connor, fired publisher of the Fort Worth Star Telegram has filed suit against the newspaper's owners for libel, slander and interference with his contract.

Connor, who opted not to step down as publisher when offered a severance package, learned of his firing by Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. by reading the name of his successor in the Star Telegram.

Capital Cities is owned by ABC, Inc., which in turn is owned by the Walt Disney Company.

The suit, filed in US District Court in Wichita Falls, TX, asks for reasonable damages, not to exceed the severance package Michael Ovitz was awarded after his one year of failed service to Disney ($90 million), said attorney Frank L. Branson.

Torstar To Buy

Encyclopedia Britannica

Science Core Curriculum

TORONTO, CANADA/FEB 97-- The Children's Supplementary Education Division of Torstar Corporation (TSE,ME:TS) is negotiating purchase of the science core curriculum business of Encyclopedia Britannica Education Corporation, a subsidiary of Encyclopedia Britannica.

A letter of intent has been signed for purchase of The FOSS (Full Option Science System) program, developed by the prestigious Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California at Berkeley, with funding from the National Science Foundation. Terms were not disclosed.

The modular activity- based science curriculum is designed for children in kindergarten through grade 6. It has been marketed by Encyclopedia Britannica Education Corporation since its introduction in 1990.

Torstar is expected to finalize the transaction by the end of the first quarter. Torstar Corporation is a broadly- based information and entertainment communications company. Its operations include The Toronto Star, Canada's largest daily newspaper; Metroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing, publishers of community newspapers and distributors of advertising materials; Harlequin Enterprises, the world's largest publisher of series romance fiction, and other publishing and production entities.

Central Newspapers, Inc.

Acquires Westech

INDIANAPOLIS/ FEB 97--Central Newspapers, Inc., for an undisclosed amount of cash, has acquired 80% of the Westech group of companies.

The Wesetch group, based in Santa Clara, California, includes ExpoCorp., which organizes job fairs for the high-tech industry; HTC Corp., which publishes High Tech Careers magazine, and Jobs America, which organizes job fairs for service industry positions. The company has $20 million in sales and 40 employees.

Central Newspapers is a media company that publishes daily, Sunday and weekly newspapers including the Arizona Republic; The Indianapolis Star, The Indianapolis News, Muncie Star Press, as well as smaller community papers in Indiana, and the Alexandria Daily Town Talk in Louisiana. It is the 11th largest publicly traded US newspaper company in terms of circulation.