Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW), formerly The Disney Publishing Group and Buena Vista Publishing Group, is the publishing group controlled by The Walt Disney Company. Its imprints include Disney Editions, Hyperion Books for Children, and Disney Press. DPW's five areas of revenue are Global Magazines, Global Books, Disney Digital Books, U.S. Magazines and Disney English.
History
In 1990, Disney Consumer Products discontinued its license for Topolino, an Italian Mickey Mouse magazine. This lead Michael Lynton, Disney Consumer Products business development director, to propose and planning to start up its Magazine Group with Disney Adventures. That same year, Disney began publishing Disney Adventures. In September 1991, Disney Publishing agreed to purchase Discover magazine from Family Media placing it within its Magazine Group. In 1991, Disney purchased the Family Fun Magazine after its second issue from Jake Winebaum. The purchase of Discover closed late 1991.
Incorporated
The Disney Publishing Group (DPG) was incorporated in January 1992 and included the already formed Hyperion Books, Hyperion Books for Children, Disney Press and units.
In 1994, DPG started divisions Mouse Works in February and Fun Works in November, both create interactive children books. By April, the Magazine Group agreed with Ziff-Davis Publishing Co. to a joint venture publication, Family PC, to be launched in September. In June, Lynton left his position as senior vice president of DPG to become president of Disney's Hollywood Pictures.
In March 1995 with the market too crowded with Disney books, DPG merged Hyperion Books for Children and Disney Press units. On May 11, 1998 Disney Publishing was renamed Buena Vista Publishing Group. In April 1999, Buena Vista Publishing Group changed its name to Disney Publishing Worldwide, Inc. with Hyperion Books transferred to Disney's ABC Group.
In August 1995, Disney Magazine Publishing reorganized into three division: Disney Family Magazines, Disney Kids Magazines and Disney Special Interest Magazines, each head by a vice president/group publisher. Family Magazines and Special Interest Magazines were expected to acquire additional publications beyond Family Fun and Discover. Special Interest Magazines' publisher was assigned responsibility to the Discovery Channel TV show, Discover Magazine. Kids Magazines included the newly developed Big Time weekly newspaper supplement to have a Fall 1996 launch.
In Mid-2001, DPW and Baby Einstein agreed to publish a baby book line to introduce fine art, foreign languages, poetry and classical music. Gemstone Publishing licensed from DPW the rights to publish Disney comics beginning in June 2003.
In 2005, Discover magazine was sold to Bob Guccione Jr. and the Disney magazine was shut down. Wondertime magazine was launched in February 2006.
In February 2007, Disney merged its kids- and family-focused television, online, radio and publishing businesses's advertising sales and promotion teams into Disney Media Advertising Sales and Marketing Group oversee by presidents of Disney Channels Worldwide, Walt Disney Internet Group and DPW.
Disney Publishing Worldwide (India), a division of Walt Disney Company (India), announced a licensing agreement in April 2009 with local publisher Junior Diamond to publish Disney comic books, in both English and Hindi. Jetix/Toon Disney switch over in India to Disney XD on November 14. Disney Publishing launched on September 29 Disney Digital Books with 500 books online. On December 8, 2010, DPW's India unit signed a multi-year contract with India Today Group for printing and distribution for Disney Comics in India.
With few books issued under the imprint, Marvel Worldwide and Disney Books Group relaunched the Marvel Press imprint in 2011 with the Marvel Origin Storybooks line. DPW announced in November a new publication, FamilyFun Kids, a bi-monthly magazine with kids' craft, games, puzzles and recipes.
In January 2012, DPW agreed to sell the Family Fun Magazine to the Meredith Corporation.
With the June 2013 announcement of the Hyperion Books sale, Hyperion's books related to existing Disneyâ€"ABC Television Group properties, young adult titles and Disney-Hyperion imprint & titles will be transferred to DPW.
Disney Publishing Worldwide announced in April 2014 that Del Rey Books would publish a new line of cannon Star Wars books under the Lucasfilm Story Group being released starting in September on a bi-monthly schedule. The Star Wars Legends banner would be used for those Extended Universe materials that are in print.
Disney Publishing has been a focus for Disney Consumer Products to launch new franchises. In May 2014, DPW released the first "Deep Blue" mermaid book along with a song and music videos in an attempt to launch a new franchise. Disney's first deal with POW! Entertainment is "The Zodiac Legacy" book series through Disney Publishing Worldwide to be released in January 2015.
Franchises
Waterfire Saga
Waterfire Saga is a Disney Publishing franchise based on Mermaids launched in May 2014 as a book series.
WFS History
The Waterfire Saga was developed by Disney Publishing's various departments after some years of considering doing a mermaid mythology project. A 200 page franchise bible was complied that included cultures, story arcs, images of the undersea world and its inhabitants, and main character profiles. Global books publisher Suzanne Murphy approached in summer 2011 an in-house favorite to write the book series, Jennifer Donnelly, who said yes.
In early 2014, Disney Publishing Worldwide announced the Waterfire Saga a mermaid based franchise to be launch with a novel series. Donnelly had already finished work on the first two books by March 2014 and started on the third. The first novel was supported by a marketing plan that included advertising in print, TV, and in-theater, ABC Family and Hollywood Records promotions and a retail floor display with riser. The Deep Blue novel was released under the Disney-Hyperion imprint on May 6, 2014 with a print run of 250,000 and a song and music videos are included in the ebook edition release on that same day. The book was concurrently released in the U.K., Italy, and Spain. On its release date, a national author tour began. Other foreign editions are to be released in late 2014 and early 2015. The second book in the series, Rogue Wave, is to be released in January 2015 with installments 3 and 4 are to be released in fall 2015 and summer 2016, respectively. In 2015, DPW's Milan comic unit will begin issuing comics and graphic novels to expand the franchise.
Plot
Merpeople came into existence after their ancestors' island of Atlantis was destroyed.
The four-book series centers around six mermaids who try to save their world. “Deep Blue†initially focuses on Serafina, a mermaid of the Mediterranean Sea, who has premonitory dream about an ancient evil returning during the eve of her wedding. Her mother is hit by assassin’s poisoned arrow which confirm the dream. She has additional vision that led here to find five other mermaids across the world's oceans. The six bond and find a world threatening conspiracy.
Additional media
- Audio book
An audio book version of Deep Blue was recorded by Bea Miller with release through Listening Library.
- Comics
In 2015, DPW's Milan comic unit will begin issuing comics and graphic novels to expand the franchise.
- Song
The song “Open Your Eyes†is through Hollywood Records and is sung by Bea Miller.
Units
- Disney Book Group (Disney Book Publishing, Inc.)
- Disney·Hyperion
- Disney·Jump at the Sun
- Disney Press
- Disney Editions
- Disney Libri
- Disney Libros (Spain)
- Mouse Works
- Fun Works
- Marvel Press
- Disney Book Apps
- Disney Magazine Publishing, Inc.
- Disney Family Magazines
- Disney Kids Magazines
- Disney Special Interest Magazines
- Licensed Publishing
- CrossGen â€" restarted as an imprint by Marvel Comics
- Disney Comics, Inc.
- Disney English
Hyperion for Children
Hyperion Books for Children (HBC) and Disney Press were launched in 1990 too. The Disney Publishing Group was incorporated in January 1992 and included the already formed Hyperion Books, Hyperion Books for Children, Disney Press and other units. In March 1995 with the market too crowded with Disney books, Hyperion Books for Children merged with Disney Press. Hyperion Books for Children started a new imprint, Jump at the Sun, in September 1998 for the African-American children's market.
References
External links
- books.disney.com, consumer website
- disneypublishing.com, business website
- disneymagazines.com
- waterfiresaga.com, Waterfire Saga franchise site
