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Publishers remain “cautious” about business at March’s Bologna Children’s Book Fair, with many taking fewer products than ever.
Cutbacks mean that some publishers may send fewer staff to Bologna while others plan to maintain their presence to spend more time with international partners.
Bronwen Bennie, rights director at Random House Children’s Books, said foreign customers were likely to be “even more selective” when buying from abroad in the current economic slow-down. She argued that visitors from the US will be particularly affected by cutbacks. “We are aware that quite a few of our US and Latin American contacts won’t be coming to Bologna this year so the fair will have a bit more of a European feel, but we also think there will be significant representation from other parts of the world.”
Lucy Lewis, head of international sales for Egmont, said the fair will reflect a shift in core markets and core customers for UK publishers. She added: “Where we would have expected solid licensing business with the US, that is proving harder, but emerging markets in southern and eastern Europe are growing and continue to grow.”
However, publishers will need to work harder to tie up deals with books and jackets tailored to suit specific markets and territories, according to David Bennett, m.d. of Boxer Books. He added that publishers were taking a long time to make decisions over acquiring new titles.
Hachette Children’s Group is planning to send its “usual contingent”. Marlene Johnson, HCG m.d., said: “Bologna and Frankfurt are our showcases and the only way to get a sense of how the market is doing is to talk to our international partners face to face.”
She argued that “people want to see big brands and big plans rather than a pretty book” and that one of the hardest issues this year will be pricing. She said: “It will be difficult to make the prices work, with sterling weak against the euro but with production prices rising.”
The Bologna Children’s Book Fair takes place from 23rd to 26th March 2009.