Rupert Murdoch’s NewsCorp consolidates control of Christian literature publishing through HarperCollins acquisition of Thomas Nelson
During the recent hacking scandals that beset Rupert Murdoch’s NewsCorp, and more specifically the ‘News of the World‘, it came to light that Rupert Murdoch publishes and controls great swathes of Christian literature, through HarperCollins Publishing - a division of NewsCorp – who bought out Zondervan in 1988.
As an example, the New International Version of the Bible is published by Zondervan, and here’s what Zondervan say about it:
According to Zondervan, publisher of the NIV, the translation has become the most popular modern English translation of the Bible, having sold more than 215 million copies worldwide. It continues to be one of the top ten selling Bibles
Given the control over Christian literature publishing Rupert Murdock already enjoys, coupled with the questions raised over the NewsCorp hacking allegations, and their general standards of ethics and morality; I’m not sure how comfortable I feel in NewsCorp consolidating their grip over Christian publishing yet further:
Publisher HarperCollins reached an agreement Monday to buy fellow publisher Thomas Nelson, a move that will bring the two largest religion book publishers in the country under one corporation.
Lyn Cryderman, a former Zondervan publisher, said the move makes “HarperCollins the largest Christian publisher in the United States.”
Brian Murray, president and CEO of HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide, cited Thomas Nelson’s wide reach into “books, Bibles, e-books, journals, audio, video, curriculum and digital applications” as a reason for the acquisition.
HarperCollins is the parent company of Zondervan, a Bible publisher whose Christian authors include megachurch pastor Rick Warren.
“Thomas Nelson adds further balance to our existing publishing programs,” Murray said in a press release. “Its broad inspirational appeal is a good complement to Zondervan, which will continue to publish books consistent with its mission.”
HarperCollins is a subsidiary of News Corporation, a multinational media company headed by Rupert Murdoch, the media magnate who earlier this year was plagued by hacking and phone-tapping allegations at some of his publications in the United Kingdom.
During the hacking scandal, some of Zondervan’s authors questioned how a company who owns the rights to the world’s best-selling English bible, the New International Version, could be associated with ethics violations.
Zondervan distributes books to over 100 countries.
Tags: Christianity, Media, News
November 2nd, 2011 at 9:26 am
The one bit of good news, for me at least, is that they might now start producing editions of the NKJV in the Anglicised format. I can but hope.
November 4th, 2011 at 3:38 pm
Goodness, Rupert Murdoch the largest Christian publisher in the world!! There’s obviously money in it, so he wouldn’t bother. It’s a shame major non-profits and churches don’t go into Christian publishing as a tent-making activity.
November 4th, 2011 at 4:28 pm
I read the other day, after posting this, that Murdoch will now control some 50% of all Christian publishing.
Now that’s a lot of control in one hand by anybody’s count.