Quote:
Originally Posted by david_e
I believe it is in the B&N Deathspiral thread that someone pointed out Nook had been spun off into a separate company. Is the Nook ebook store a part of this separate company as well?
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Yes.
Nook media includes the eBookstore, the hardware and software development group, and the B&M College bookstores.
So far B&N owns 75% of Nook Media so they can still sell off more of it to keep funding the storefronts for a couple more years. But at some point they'll have to cut the puppet strings and let Nook Media go fully independent. The sooner, the better for both sides.
And no, publishing's fate in no way depends on B&N's fate.
To even float the idea is to present a serious disconnect from the reality of modern bookselling. The whole idea that B&N is a showroom for the entire world of publishing presupposes that every single book buyer has to visit a B&N before they make a choice.
Bull-loney.
The reality is that *if * B&N goes under it will be missed--about as much as Borders is missed--but the world and publishing will roll merrily on.