Les Miserables: The Musical Phenomenon Now Available for Free on the iBookstore

Universal Pictures Launches the Studio's First Multi-Touch Book Created with iBooks Author

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Dec. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Pictures announced today the release of the free Multi-Touch book Les Miserables: The Musical Phenomenon, a digital companion to the highly anticipated musical epic Les Miserables, which hits theaters nationwide on Christmas Day. This represents Universal Pictures' first book created with iBooks Author, Apple's digital book creation app. Available exclusively on the iBookstore, Les Miserables: The Musical Phenomenon was created in partnership with NBCUniversal Digital Publishing and entertainment marketing company Bemis Balkind.

Highlighting the timeless music, celebrated performers, intricate costumes and sweeping cinematography of the film, the book presents an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the artistry of Les Miserables. It includes exclusive interviews, photo galleries and video, musical performances, interactive timelines and more.

Doug Neil , senior vice president of digital marketing, Universal Pictures, stated: "We're thrilled to provide a digital experience for fans of Les Miserables that enhances the vision of the film's director, Tom Hooper . The interactivity of the digital book allows for an immersive experience, putting readers in the world of Les Miserables before they experience the phenomenon in theaters."

Curt Doty , who heads up the digital group at Bemis Balkind, added: "Our philosophy on building these new touchpoints is to create a beautiful, illustrated book and enhance it with content and Multi-Touch interactivity. We always want these to have a balance of the written word, amazing photography and compelling interactive content."

"We are very proud to be associated with this terrific project and to make it available to readers familiar with both the musical and Victor Hugo 's classic story," said Michael Fabiano , vice-president and general manager of NBC Publishing. "This enhanced book is simply a great way of experiencing Universal's behind-the-scenes magic and is sure to reach a whole new fan base as well."

The book details the 28-year history of Les Miserables the musical, as well as highlights each major cast member in the new film and showcases their musical performances with video clips from the movie. Some of the unique interactive features include the "Character Relationships" widget, which allows fans to see how each character is related to the others, and the timeline, which establishes key events in the course of this epic story that is told over 33 years.

Les Miserables: The Musical Phenomenon is available worldwide for free, exclusively on the iBookstore at iTunes.com/iBookstore. The "Les Miserables: Highlights from the Motion Picture Soundtrack" is also available on the iTunes Store at www.iTunes.com/LesMis.

About Les Miserables
Les Miserables is the motion-picture adaptation of the beloved global stage sensation seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and in 21 languages around the globe and still breaking box-office records everywhere in its 28th year. Helmed by The King's Speech's Academy Award®-winning director, Tom Hooper , the Working Title/ Cameron Mackintosh production stars Hugh Jackman , Oscar® winner Russell Crowe , Anne Hathaway , Amanda Seyfried , Eddie Redmayne , Aaron Tveit , Samantha Barks , with Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen . www.lesmiserablesfilm.com.

About Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. Comcast Corporation owns a controlling 51% interest in NBCUniversal, with GE holding a 49% stake.

About NBC Publishing
NBC Publishing is a division of NBCUniversal Media, LLC that focuses on developing digital publishing projects from content created within the NBCUniversal and Comcast family of properties, as well as publishing original works with outside authors and publishing partners. www.nbcpublishing.com.

About Bemis Balkind
Bemis Balkind draws on the heritage of their conceptual, iconic marketing solutions to develop the structural interfaces that carry marketing and entertainment content effectively for the connected consumer. Based in New York and Los Angeles, they have been creating memorable movie marketing campaigns since 1968 including Rosemary's Baby, Alien, Forrest Gump , Black Swan and Snow White and the Huntsman. The company is led by the legendary brand strategist Aubrey Balkind and film-marketing veteran Peter Bemis .

NBC Publishing Announces the Release of “Meet the Press: 65 Years of History in the Making, Volume One,” As An Enhanced E-Book

NEW YORK – December 11, 2012 – In recognition of the 65th anniversary of "Meet the Press," the longest-running network television program in history, NBC News has opened its vast archives of videos, photos, and other memorabilia to release Meet the Press: 65 Years of History in the Making, Volume One as an enhanced eBook today. Author Terry Golway presents a compelling retrospective that should be required reading for anyone interested in the people and events that have shaped the world’s political and cultural landscape from WWII to the present. With the inception of "Meet the Press" in 1947, television news was indelibly changed and it heralded the beginning of decades of news-making TV journalism. This commemorative enhanced eBook is the first volume of an anniversary celebration that looks back at the past 65 years as seen through the lens of this groundbreaking show. Guests who have appeared throughout the decades included nearly every major newsmaker from American presidents to international prime ministers and premiers, to scientists and sports figures, as well as Nobel laureates and entertainers. With a video introduction by current "Meet the Press" moderator David Gregory, Meet the Press: 65 Years of History In the Making, Volume One also features such diverse personalities as Joe McCarthy, Eleanor Roosevelt, Fidel Castro, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Henry Kissinger, Martin Luther King, Jr., George Wallace, Bill Bradley, Jesse Jackson, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Michael Jordan, Mikhail Gorbachev, Bill Cosby, Hubert Humphrey, Indira Gandhi, John Kerry, Madeleine Albright, Anwar Sadat, Donald Rumsfeld, Newt Gingrich, Hillary Clinton, and many more. Also included are some early radio broadcasts of the program starting in 1945. It's no wonder that “Meet the Press” been the source of more headlines than any other news program. After 65 years of hard-hitting journalism, “Meet the Press” has gone "on the record," immortalizing its own unequaled contribution to both television and world history. Tim Russert once called the program “A national treasure.” This interactive special anniversary eBook reveals why. Betsy Fischer Martin, longtime Executive Producer of "Meet the Press" said, "What is so special about this eBook, is that it couples a fascinating look back at the key moments of our program's history with pages of rich context about the times in which they occurred." "‘Meet the Press’ is such an historic program, one that continues to be part of the American conversation week after week. We wanted to acknowledge the 65th anniversary by bringing together many memorable appearances and present them in a way only an enhanced eBook can,” said Peter Costanzo, Creative Director of NBC Publishing, “Our hope is that readers will find the multimedia experience informative, entertaining, and educational.” Meet the Press: 65 Years of History in the Making, Volume One is available now exclusively at Apple’s iBookstore. About the Author Terry Golway is the director of the Kean University Center for History, Politics, and Policy. He is a former member of the New York Times editorial board and former city editor of the New York Observer. He holds a Ph.D. in U.S. History from Rutgers University. About NBC Publishing NBC Publishing is a division of NBCUniversal Media, LLC that focuses on developing digital publishing projects from content created within the NBCUniversal and Comcast family of properties, as well as publishing original works with outside authors and publishing partners.

For more information contact: Marie Wicht NBC News e: marie.wicht@nbcuni.com

“Election Night” - New eBook Available From NBC Publishing

NEW YORK, NY – November 5, 2012 – On the eve of the election, NBC Publishing announces the release of Election Night: A Television History by media journalist Stephen Battaglio. As seen on NBC’s TODAY show, the book is a fascinating and revealing look at the evolution of U.S. presidential election night broadcasts since 1948 and how this televised event continues to galvanize the nation every four years.

Battaglio explores the technical advancements in vote counting, the aggregation of live coverage from the field, the compilation of polling information, the process of calling a state for a candidate, and how the drama ultimately unfolds in the energetic control room. Through the lens of NBC News, Election Night highlights commentary by legendary news figures such as Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, John Chancellor, Tom Brokaw, Tim Russert, and Brian Williams and many iconic moments that have made history.

Drawing from the extensive assets of the NBC News Archives, Battaglio takes his readers through each of the sixteen presidential races since the dawn of television beginning with Truman vs. Dewey in 1948 to today. The enhanced edition contains more than an hour of video from the archives of NBC News featuring some of television's most memorable appearances by major political figures in U.S. history including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, George McGovern, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, John McCain, and Barack Obama among many others.

With engaging anecdotes from industry professionals, photographs, and memorabilia from each political campaign, Election Night provides a "behind-the-scenes" account of the political campaigns and network coverage giving readers unprecedented inside access to history in the making.

NBC Publishing will release a free chapter featuring Battaglio’s soon-to-be-written coverage of the upcoming 2012 election during the month of November.

Election Night: A Television History is a must read for history buffs, political junkies, and television enthusiasts everywhere. Both enhanced and non-enhanced versions will be available for purchase wherever eBooks are sold.

###

About the Author

Stephen Battaglio is the business editor for TV Guide Magazine. He has also written about the television industry for The New York Times, Fortune, the New York Daily News and The Hollywood Reporter. He is the author of David Susskind: A Televised Life the 2010 biography of the influential talk show host and TV producer. In 2011, he wrote From Yesterday to Today:  a pictorial history of the first 60 years of NBC's Today. Battaglio has appeared as a media commentator on numerous TV and radio programs including CBS Sunday Morning, NBC Nightly News, Entertainment Tonight, NPR's Morning Edition, NBC's Today, ABC's Good Morning America, MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews, WOR's The Joan Hamburg Show and Inside Edition. He was also featured as a television historian in Pioneers of Thirteen, a 2012 TV documentary celebrating the 50th anniversary of WNET. He lives in New York City.

About NBC Publishing

NBC Publishing is a division of NBCUniversal Media, LLC that focuses on developing digital publishing projects from content created within the NBCUniversal and Comcast family of properties, as well as publishing original works with outside authors and publishing partners. http://www.nbcpublishing.com

For more information contact:

Marie Wicht

NBC News

e: marie.wicht@nbcuni.com

NBC Publishing to Release Enhanced eBook, Mick and Keith: Never Stop

Intimate Exclusive Interviews Add to Rolling Stones 50th

September 6, 2012 - New York - In recognition of the 50^th anniversary of the Rolling Stones comes MICK AND KEITH: NEVER STOP, a video-enhanced eBook featuring exclusive interviews with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards conducted by rock journalist and former TODAY show music correspondent, Rona Elliot.

MICK AND KEITH: NEVER STOP, released by NBC Publishing, features Elliot’s interviews—produced by NBC’s TODAY show—with the Rolling Stones frontmen along with her reflections on their enduring legacy. The eBook also includes images of the band from famed rock photographers Henry Diltz, Bob Gruen, and Ebet Roberts, plus an original cartoon by New Yorker cartoonist Harry Bliss.

While Elliot has interviewed the individual members of the Stones many times over the years, the intimate access to Mick and Keith granted during a break from the band’s legendary Steel Wheels tour resulted in two insightful and distinct conversations. Seen here at the top of their game, Mick and Keith’s individual personalities uniquely unfold through their humor, charm, and candor.

With Mick sitting in New York’s Waldorf Astoria clad in an elegant suit, and Keith lounging barefoot in an inside-out T-shirt fresh off his boat in Antigua, the two answer Elliot’s questions on everything Stones, including: whether they knew “Satisfaction” was a hit right away, their disparate reflections on the innocence of their early fans, and whether they see their band as a “family” or a “gang”. Even for die-hard Stones fans who think they know everything about these two icons, these interviews reveal Mick and Keith as never before.

For Elliot, this release is highly personal, having worked for over a decade to make her TODAY show interviews, from the NBC News Archives, available to those with a passion for rock ‘n’ roll. MICK AND KEITH: NEVER STOP is part fan letter, part memoir, and highlights Elliot’s work as a music journalist and historian.

“I have been so fortunate in my life’s work to meet, interview and form trusted relationships with music legends that we all love and respect…and Mick and Keith are right at the top of any list, mine to be sure,” says Elliot. “Music has always been my animating passion! So, I’m thrilled to be able to share this with other Stones fans. These interviews were remarkable then, and are perhaps even more so now, as they celebrate 50 years together. The enhanced eBook makes this a personal experience for everyone, and absolute fun, too!”

“We are so thrilled to be working with Rona Elliot, a trailblazer in the world of rock journalism, and to have the opportunity to publish these rare and in-depth interviews for both die-hard fans and those yet to discover these icons of rock ‘n’ roll,” said Michael Fabiano, General Manager and Vice President of NBC Publishing.

The enhanced eBook will be available for iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch, Nook Color, Nook Tablet, and the Kindle App for iPad.

MICK AND KEITH: NEVER STOP will be available on October 2, 2012.

To view and/or post video montage teaser, please visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFxt00Crwh0.

###

About NBC Publishing

NBC Publishing is a division of NBCUniversal Media, LLC that focuses on developing digital publishing projects from content created within the NBCUniversal and Comcast family of properties, as well as publishing original works with outside authors and publishing partners. For more information visit http://www.nbcpublishing.com.

About Rona Elliot
Music journalist Rona Elliot has provided intimate looks at the lives of some of rock’s greatest writers and performers including the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, U2, Sting, Billy Joel, Tina Turner, Marvin Gaye and Ray Charles. She has been a cultural and musical eyewitness throughout an illustrious career that has included working at Woodstock, the legendary music festival; in the groundbreaking 1970s San Francisco underground radio scene; as VH1’s first-ever news anchor; and for 10 years as the Music Correspondent for NBC’s Today show. She has always offered music fans a unique and first-hand account of those she knew and interviewed, and continues her work as a Board Member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum, and currently serves on the GRAMMY Museum’s Education Advisory Committee.

For more information contact:

Marie Wicht
NBC News
e: marie.wicht@nbcuni.com

NBC Offers Free 'GRIMM' eBook with Season One Recap, Season Two Teaser, and Free Episode Download

The free new enhanced eBook, “GRIMM: THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE,” is now available on Apple’s iBookstore in iTunes for iPad; the non-enhanced edition will soon be available on Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble’s Nook Tablet.

NEW YORK - August 8, 2012 - In an innovative collaboration, NBC Publishing and NBC Entertainment will launch “GRIMM: THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE” today. This free eBook is an interactive companion to the hit television series kicking off its second season on Monday, August 13 at 10/9c on NBC. NBC Publishing has created a unique eBook that expands the "behind-the-scenes" experience for NBC Entertainment's "Grimm" by providing access to exclusive concept art, 3D renderings, video clips, and the introduction of a terrifying new creature in a sneak preview from the Season Two premiere.

As eBooks continue to grow in popularity, the boundaries of digital publishing have gone beyond its traditional definition. Through this free download, NBC Entertainment’s critically-acclaimed show, “Grimm,” has an opportunity to directly provide its fan base with an entirely new viewer experience. In addition to the interactive features, the eBook includes character and actor biographies, photos, trivia, glossary terms, and a free pilot episode for download from iTunes.

In this collaboration, NBC Publishing takes full advantage of Apple's iBooks Author platform to highlight exclusive illustrations, animations, and video from NBC Entertainment to supplement the text of the “Grimm” universe. Similarly, free of charge, fans are able to fully immerse themselves in the making behind the “Grimm” episodes in anticipation of the Season Two premiere. As viewers become increasingly interested in interacting with shows, stories, and characters, this innovative collaboration presents a unique way to bridge the gap between fan and screen.

Both NBC Entertainment and NBC Publishing are thrilled to help bridge that gap. "NBC Entertainment is excited to explore the new Apple iBook Author, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble publishing platforms to create engaging content that our viewers can access from all of their devices," said Robert Hayes, Executive Vice President Digital, NBC Entertainment.

"We're very pleased to offer this interactive eBook to fans of Grimm," said Michael Fabiano, General Manager and VP of NBC Publishing, "We believe loyal fans will enjoy it and hopefully will prove to be a great way to attract new ones."

The free eBook, “GRIMM: THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE,” is available now for iPad at Apple's iBookstore in iTunes. A non-enhanced edition will soon be available for Amazon's Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble's Nook Tablet.

###

About NBC Publishing
NBC Publishing is a division of NBCUniversal Media, LLC that focuses on developing digital publishing projects from content created within the NBCUniversal and Comcast family of properties, as well as publishing original works with outside authors and publishing partners.
For more information visit http://www.nbcpublishing.com.

About NBC Entertainment
NBC Entertainment develops and schedules programming for the network’s primetime, late-night, and daytime schedules. NBC’s quality programs and balanced lineup have earned the network critical acclaim, numerous awards, and ratings success. NBC has earned more Emmy Awards than any network in television history.

For more information contact:

Marie Wicht
NBC News
e: marie.wicht@nbcuni.com

NBC Publishing & NBC Sports Team Up with Rodale on Innovative Olympic Publishing Project

RING FORCE BRINGS OLYMPIC SPIRIT OF POSSIBILITY TO KIDS

NEW YORK, NY – July 18, 2012 – NBC Publishing and NBC Sports team up with Rodale Books to release the children’s illustrated chapter book RING FORCE (July 17, 2012; $6.99; ISBN 978-1-60961-568-0 Trade Paperback, Rodale Books; ISBN 978-1-938069-30-7 eBook, NBC Publishing). This adventure story about a team of exceptional young athletes fighting a mysterious evil force will be released in both paperback and eBook editions to coincide with the 2012 Olympic Games, opening in London July 27.

Cheryl Gould, SVP of NBC News:

“Extending interest in the Olympics and the pursuit of Olympic values to younger generations--showing kids they too can achieve their dreams through hard work and dedication--has long been a mission of NBC. We are thrilled to be able to present that message in an incredibly engaging way, through the power of storytelling.”

Ring Force is a story that embodies the Olympic dream of striving for excellence. Children from around the world are brought together by the gods of Olympus with a single mission of hope: to keep the Olympic spirit alive in the hearts of humanity. When a dark power threatens to extinguish the Olympic flame, Booker, a boy from Brooklyn, is summoned to Mount Olympus where he and four other aspiring athletes discover their destiny: to become an elite force fighting to save the world. An inspiring tale of diverse strengths and backgrounds uniting for the power of good, Ring Force is at once a compelling adventure and an educational and motivational story.

David Zinczenko, EVP and General Manager of Rodale Books:
“Rodale is thrilled to be partnering with NBC on this important initiative. Publishing a book that will inspire young people to reach for, and achieve, their goals is a natural extension of Rodale’s longtime mission to enable people to improve their lives and the world around them. RING FORCE offers us a unique opportunity to solidify our commitment to that ethos by imparting it to the next generation.”

The spirit of the book is informed by the spirit of Olympism and the idealism of Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games, who understood the vital role sports could play in the lives of youth around the world. De Coubertin envisioned how a global sporting event could promote tolerance and understanding. He designed the iconic Olympic symbol, the five interlacing rings that represent the coming together of five continents. True to de Coubertin’s vision, the five members of the Ring Force team hail from Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Australia.

Rowdy Gaines, NBC Sports and Olympics commentator & three-time Olympic gold medal swimmer, U.S. Olympic Hall of Famer:
“The Ring Force characters learn important lessons not only about themselves, but the world at large. As a team they embody the Olympic values of striving for excellence, demonstrating respect and celebrating friendship,” he said.
Written by 12-time Emmy winner Brian Brown, Story Editor and Senior Producer at NBC Sports and Olympics, Ring Force was born from Brown’s own Olympic journeys and decades spent traveling the globe to cover a dozen Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
With an innovative graphic style inspired by Japanese anime, the book is brought to life by more than 50 full-color illustrations from world-class design and animation studio Nathan Love (http://www.nathanlove.com/).

Ring Force is available now for pre-order in paperback and eBook editions. For more information, visit http://www.ringforcebook.com/.

About NBC Publishing
Launched in January 2012, NBC Publishing is a division of NBCUniversal Media, LLC that focuses on developing digital publishing projects from content created within the NBCUniversal and Comcast family of properties, as well as publishing original works with outside authors and publishing partners. http://www.nbcpublishing.com/

About NBC Sports
The NBC Sports Group, a melding of the broad reach and storied history of NBC Sports and Comcast’s 24/7 ability to super-serve fans, consists of an array of broadcast television, cable television and digital sports assets, including NBC Sports & Olympics, NBC Sports Network, Golf Channel, NBC Sports Radio Network, 11 Comcast SportNets (regional sports networks), and their respective digital properties. Together, the assets of the NBC Sports Group possess an unparalleled collection of television rights agreements, partnering with some of the most prestigious sports properties in the world: the International Olympic Committee and United States Olympic Committee, the NFL, NHL, PGA TOUR, PGA of America, USGA, Churchill Downs, MLS, Tour de France, French Open, IndyCar, and many more.

About Rodale Books
Rodale Books publishes award-winning, bestselling titles that provide authoritative content in the subjects of health, wellness, fitness, gardening, food & cooking, and the environment. These include game-changing books such as Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz's Onward, former FDA commissioner Dr. David Kessler's The End of Overeating, Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet, HRH Prince Charles's On the Future of Food, and Maria Rodale's Organic Manifesto. Among Rodale's highly successful branded series are Eat This Not That!, The Biggest Loser, Flat Belly Diet!, and The South Beach Diet. Rodale Books offers engaging and reliable books of all kinds-service, narrative, illustrated, and lifestyle-that reflect our commitment to helping readers improve their lives and the world around them. For the latest news on our books and authors, please visit http://www.rodalebooks.com/. Rodale Books are also available for download as eBooks.

For more information contact:

Marie Wicht
NBC News
e: marie.wicht@nbcuni.com

NBC Publishing Releases Enhanced eBook Version of "Over the Moon: The Broadway Lullaby Project"

As seen on the "Today" show, this enhanced children’s eBook showcases original lullabies from world-class Broadway composers and performers

New York, NY-- May 14, 2012-- NBC Publishing recently released the enhanced eBook version of "Over The Moon: The Broadway Lullaby Project” – an unprecedented collaboration of Broadway luminaries and award-winning artists that combines 26 original lullabies with lavish illustration. The "Today" show’s Kathie Lee and Hoda featured the "Over The Moon: The Broadway Lullaby Project" eBook on as part of their "Favorite Things."

The eBook features a foreword from stage and screen legend Julie Andrews, cover illustration by fabled cartoonist and playwright Jules Feiffer, and a stellar cast of vocalists including Anastasia Barzee, Michael Cerveris, Victoria Clark, Raul Esparza, Sutton Foster, Brian D’Arcy James, Rebecca Luker, Kelli O’Hara, Donna Murphy, Anika Noni Rose and Vanessa Williams. The acclaimed roster of singers is matched by the original contributions of such fabled composers as Stephen Sondheim, Stephen Schwartz, Rupert Holmes, Tom Kitt, Henry Krieger with Bill Russell, Bobby Lopez with Kristen Anderson Lopez, Jill Santoriello with John Patrick Shanley , David Shire, and Nona Hendryx with Marva Hicks and Charles Randolph-Wright. Among the esteemed illustrators lending their talents are R. Gregory Christie, Richard Egielski, Betsy Lewin, Anna Louizos, Marc Simont, Neil Waldman, Tony Walton, and Paul O. Zelinsky.

Public Interest Projects serves as the fiscal sponsor for the Broadway Lullaby Project. Proceeds received by Public Interest Projects will be donated to breast cancer charities, including the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Young Survival Coalition.

For more information on the Broadway Lullaby Project, which also includes a hardcover edition and a 2 CD set, visit: www.overthemoonbroadway.com.

Also check out NBC Publishing!

NBC Publishing & Golf Channel Release New eBook—“Arnold Palmer: A Personal Journey”

NEW YORK, NY—March 19, 2012— NBC Publishing, in partnership with Golf Channel, announced today the release of a new eBook edition of “Arnold Palmer: A Personal Journey.” Best-selling author Thomas Hauser captures the life of golf’s most beloved icon, working directly with Palmer for a revealing look at the man behind the legend. The launch of this eBook coincides with the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the champion’s prestigious namesake PGA tournament. This week, the world’s top players tee-off at Bay Hill in Orlando with live coverage all week on Golf Channel, co-founded by Palmer, and this weekend on NBC.

The critically-acclaimed book, never before available as an eBook, includes new features such as exclusive photos from Palmer’s personal archives, a foreword by Golf Channel’s Commentator Rich Lerner, and a new afterword by Hauser. Filled with anecdotes from family, friends and colleagues, the eBook showcases Arnold Palmer, the trailblazer and entrepreneur – and Arnold Palmer, the husband, dad and friend. Also new to this edition is “Reflections on the Game,” a poignant essay by Palmer, which was co-written with Hauser.

“I have always thought that, of all the books I have done, ‘A Personal Journey’ was a particularly good one with its wonderful selection of pictures and the excellent text that accompanied the photos,” said Arnold Palmer, “I enjoyed working with Tom Hauser on the book and felt we created an interesting chronicle of my golfing career and my life.”

"We're proud to publish this digital edition of Thomas Hauser's terrific book in cooperation with Arnold Palmer Enterprises and with the support of our colleagues at Golf Channel," said Cheryl Gould, SVP of NBC News and Executive in Charge of NBC Publishing.

“Arnold Palmer is one of sports’ most-beloved icons who has made a tremendous impact on the popularity of golf around the world,” said Mike McCarley, Golf Channel President. “His role in founding Golf Channel cannot be overstated, and he remains our most ardent supporter, a steadfast guiding force and an integral part of our success.”

“Arnold Palmer: A Personal Journey” is available for Kindle, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Nook, and will captivate casual fans and golf enthusiasts alike with the story of how the legendary golfer lived the American dream, both on and off the green.

For more information, visit Golf Channel's website.


About NBC Publishing
NBC Publishing, a division of NBC Universal Media, LLC, launched in January 2012 and will be releasing eBooks and enhanced eBooks throughout the coming year. This publishing group is part of NBC News and works across all divisions within NBC, Universal Studios, and Comcast. For more information, visit www.nbcpublishing.com.

About Golf Channel
Golf Channel is a multimedia, golf entertainment and services company based in Orlando, Fla. The Golf Channel cable network, co-founded by Arnold Palmer in 1995 and part of the NBC Sports Group, is available in more than 120 million homes worldwide through cable, satellite and wireless companies. Exclusive partnerships with the world’s top tours allow Golf Channel to feature more live golf coverage than all other networks combined, added to a programming schedule distinguished by golf’s best news, instruction and original programming. Golf Channel’s digital platform of businesses is led by www.GolfChannel.com, a leading golf destination on the Internet, delivering unmatched coverage of the world of golf, as well as services that help the recreational player with how to play, what to play and where to play golf.

About Arnold Palmer Enterprises
Arnold Palmer is many things to many people...world famous golf immortal and sportsman, highly-successful business executive, prominent advertising spokesman, skilled aviator, talented golf course designer and consultant, devoted family patriarch and a man with a down-to-earth common touch. Palmer is President of Arnold Palmer Enterprises, Inc., a multi-division structure which encompasses his global commercial activity and has continuously grown and evolved for over five decades by delivering on a promise of value, integrity and honesty. Arnold Palmer’s licensing, endorsements, and spokesman associations are prevalent worldwide. For more information visit: www.arnoldpalmer.com.



For more information contact:

Meghan Pianta
NBC News
e: meghan.pianta@nbcuni.com

My New Gig: NBC News Launches NBC Publishing

Posted on Digital Book World, 01/23/2012

NBC News is launching a book publishing arm to capitalize on growth in e-reader and tablet adoption, the decreasing cost of e-book production and a backlog of over one million hours of video content.

NBC Publishing, as the business unit will be called, will be part of NBC News, a division of media conglomerate NBCUniversal, and will be based in New York at NBC’s headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

“Over the last two years, we’ve been looking at the tablet market and e-reader market and watching it develop,” said Michael Fabiano, general manager of NBC Publishing. “Consumers are getting more comfortable downloading books with video. None of this is slowing down any time soon.”

The company will produce enhanced e-books using both archival and new NBC video footage as well as traditional, print-based e-books.

NBC has hired several employees with publishing experience to staff the venture. Peter Costanzo, previously of F+W Media and Perseus Books, has joined as creative director (disclosure: F+W Media owns and operates Digital Book World). Brian Perrin, who comes most recently from New York-based magazine publisher Rodale, is joining as director of digital development.

The venture is also engaging two internal television employees, a senior producer and a senior editor and researcher. Prior to his new role as general manager, Fabiano spent five years at NBC in business development. There is no more hiring planned for the immediate future.

“We have a few folks from publishing and a few folks from the television industry,” said Fabiano. “We’re merging these two disciplines to create new multimedia experiences.”

NBC has already worked on joint book projects with Perseus Books, Penguin and e-publishing platform Vook, which is one of several technology vendors being looked at for a larger partnership with the company.

According to Fabiano, NBC Publishing will continue to work on book partnerships with outside publishers while also developing its own content in-house. He added that NBC Publishing will also behave like other publishers, working with outside authors and agents on traditional book deals.

E-reader and tablet adoption, the relatively low cost of building original products once intellectual property is secured and NBC’s vast reservoir of video content led the company to create the new venture.

“We have over one million hours of archival video content going back to the ’20s and a really low cost structure to edit it and put it together,” said Fabiano. The company has secured the rights necessary to repurpose its video content in e-books.

Much like other publishers housed within media conglomerates, NBC Publishing will promote its books through on-air promotions on its cable and broadcast networks and using its Web presence, which includes msnbc.com. The company will also promote its books through Comcast, the cable provider which owns NBCUniversal.

“We have an incredible marketing engine at NBCU, so we just have to utilize it in the right way,” said Fabiano.

The public relations and marketing departments at the company will also engage in traditional book publicity, a discipline that is relatively new to them.

“It’s a different beast, a product versus a show,” said Meghan Pianta, a communications professional at NBC News who will be working on book projects. “We have been supporting other book projects and we’ve seen great success.”