DK (publisher)
Parent company Penguin Random House | | |
Founded | 1974 London, England, U.K. | |
---|---|---|
Founders | Christopher Dorling Peter Kindersley | |
Country of origin | United Kingdom | |
Headquarters location | 80 Strand[1] London, England, U.K. | |
Key people | Paul Kelly | |
Imprints | Alpha, DK Eyewitness Travel, DK Children’s, DK Adult, DK Licensing, DK Learning, Phonic Books, Rebel Girls | |
No. of employees | 750 | |
Official website | www |
Dorling Kindersley Limited (branded as DK) is a British multinational
History
DK was founded in 1974 by
In 1999, DK overestimated the market for Star Wars books and was left with millions of unsold copies, resulting in crippling debt.[7] As a direct result, DK was taken over the following year by the Pearson plc media company and made part of Penguin Group, which also owned the Penguin Books label.[8] DK has continued to sell Star Wars books after the takeover.[9]
In 2013, Bertelsmann and Pearson completed a merger to form Penguin Random House.[10] Bertelsmann owned 53% and Pearson 47% of the company. Penguin's trade publishing activity continued to include DK under the newly formed Penguin Random House.[11] In July 2017, Pearson agreed to sell a 22% stake in the business to Bertelsmann, thereby retaining a 25% holding.[12][13] In December 2019, Bertelsmann agreed to acquire Pearson's 25% in Penguin Random House, and therefore DK, making it a wholly owned subsidiary of Bertelsmann.[14] In 2019, Prima Games was sold to Asteri Holdings.[15]
Publications
DK publishes a range of titles internationally for adults and children. Most of the company's books are produced by teams of editors, designers and cartographers who work with freelance writers and illustrators. Some are endorsed by "imprimaturs": such as the British Medical Association, the Royal Horticultural Society and the British Red Cross.
BradyGames
BradyGames was a publishing company in the United States operating as a DK
On 1 June 2015, BradyGames merged with Prima Games, and future strategy guides made by the publishing company were published under the Prima Games label,[17] which was sold to Asteri Holdings in 2019.
Young adult
DK commenced publishing books aimed at teens with the release of Heads Up Psychology in 2014.[18]
See also
References
- ^ "DK UK". dkbooks.
- ^ "About DK". dkbooks.
- ISBN 0863180019
- ^ "Microsoft Corp acquires a minority stake in Dorling Kindersley Ltd". Thomson Financial. 18 March 1991. Archived from the original on 3 August 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2008.
- ^ Mansnerus, Laura (25 November 1996). "Not the Usual Farewell: Editors Quit and Are Sued". The New York Times.
- ^ "Grolier, DK Settle $8 Million Tampering Suit".
- ^ "Star Wars book flop hits DK". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. 24 January 2000. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ Charles Goldsmith (3 April 2000). "Media Giant Pearson Acquires U.K. Publisher Dorling Kindersley". The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ The Literator (16 May 2008), "Cover Stories: Political memoirs; the environmental Bible; Dorling Kindersley", The Independent
- ^ Bertelsmann And Pearson Complete Merger To Form Penguin Random House, The Random House Group, 1 July 2013, archived from the original on 24 September 2015, retrieved 24 July 2014
- ^ CEO Markus Dohle Announces Penguin Random House Global Leadership Team, Penguin Random House Group, 1 July 2013
- ^ "Pearson shares hit by Penguin stake sale". 11 July 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
- ^ "BMG Parent Bertelsmann to Acquire Full Stake in Penguin Random House". Billboard. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
- ^ "DK Sells Prima Games Digital Assets". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
- ^ "Pearson Revises Simon & Schuster Deal". The New York Times. Associated Press. 4 July 1998.
- ^ "Two big video game strategy guide makers become one". Polygon. June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ Sally Lodge (29 April 2014). "DK Enters the Teen Market with Nonfiction Line". www.publishersweekly.com. PWxyz LLC. Retrieved 17 October 2015.