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News Paramount selling Simon and Schuster

I think there's a strong chance it won't affect the Star Trek line. S&S had the license to publish ST novels before it was acquired by the same corporate parent (a corporation that has variously gone by the names Paramount, Viacom, and CBS now), and I don't believe their contract for the current license gets nullified just because S&S switches owners. I suppose there's a question of whether or not Paramount Global might entertain bids from other publishers for the Star Trek license once the current term expires, but that seems improbable to me considering how long S&S has held it. (Of course, if another publisher did get the license, maybe they'd hire some fan favorites that haven't gotten ST work in a while...)
 
Other articles covering the matter:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/simon-schuster-sold-paramount-1235526542/
https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/paramount-global-kkr-near-deal-for-simon-schuster-1235689601/
https://www.npr.org/2023/08/07/1192539219/simon-schuster-sold
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/07/paramount-to-sell-simon-schuster-to-kkr-for-1point62-billion.html
https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/07/business/simon-schuster-kkr-paramount-buy/index.html
https://www.barrons.com/news/paramount-announces-sale-of-simon-schuster-for-1-62-bn-85e72c7a
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/p...t-and-planned-sale-of-simon-schuster-ad1202e3
https://www.wsj.com/articles/kkr-in...on-schuster-for-roughly-1-65-billion-da69ba0b
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/07/books/booksupdate/paramount-simon-and-schuster-kkr-sale.html
 
One reason for the lack of books in 2022/2023 was uncertainty around different possible sale scenarios, so once the dust settles we may see a more consistent schedule. On the other hand, it’s certainly possible that KKR will take a look at the trajectory of the Trek publishing line in recent years and wonder whether the juice is worth the squeeze.
 
It's already being speculated in the 2024 Releases thread that this could mean fewer new books from S&S in general. And if they're publishing fewer general books, that would likely mean even fewer new Trek novels. And we're already down to two adult Trek novels from S&S this year.

I guess David Mack's Firewall is the only Trek novel for 2024?
 
Ugh, KKR? One of the absolute worst vulture capital funds out there? This is a serious blow to publishing in general.
 
That is worrying about what's going to happen to be the future for Simon and Schuster and the Star trek writers and if there's a future for the different series of Star Trek books.
 
It makes you wonder about the future of Star Trek books in General it makes you wonder if they'll continue publishing them or not.:vulcan::shifty::whistle::wtf::cardie::censored:
 
Sci said:
S&S had the license to publish ST novels before it was acquired by the same corporate parent (a corporation that has variously gone by the names Paramount, Viacom, and CBS now)...
Click to expand...

I don't think this is true. According to Wikipedia, S&S was acquired by Gulf + Western in 1975, a few years before they started publishing Trek, and they stayed with Paramount/CBS throughout all corporate renamings, merges, splits and re-merges. So no matter if S&S retains the fiction license or it goes to someone new, it will be outside the corporate family for the first time since the days of Bantam and Ballantine.
 
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