The book-publishing industry has a responsibility to lead as the country grapples with race relations, says new Simon & Schuster publisher Dana Canedy.
Canedy takes the reins at a time when Simon & Schuster has released a number of buzzy titles, including “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man,” by President Trump’s niece Mary Trump, “The Room Where It Happened” by former Trump national security advisor John Bolton, and “Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth” by CNN’s Brian Stelter.
Canedy addressed the diversity gap not just in publishing, but in journalism as well. The newly minted publisher isn’t just interested in racial diversity, but diversity of all kinds.Canedy: There are so many areas of interest that are really important for the publishing industry right now to be focusing and honing in on. There’s a lot to say about the pandemic, for example, in politics and race relations in this country.
Diversity is a huge focus. Diversity of all kinds: diversity in the voices we amplify, the books we acquire, the subject matter we go after, and also in staffing — who we systematically look to retain and promote, and bringing new folks into the company. You miss out on really maximizing your business in all areas at all levels if you don’t have diversity. You are not performing at your best as a company if you don’t have diverse staff and diverse leadership.
In terms of publishing, I hope people sit down with a hard copy of a book. But as long as they’re reading us, if they want to read us on a tablet, if they want to listen to us, that’s fine. Also: There is no such thing as ‘passive’ investing in an America so deeply scarred by racism, says Rachel Robasciotti
And not just about diversity, but in general. The issues that are affecting people that may be regional, if you don’t have reporters traveling the country and of course, it’s even harder now because nobody can get on an airplane and go out into the world. So I think missing stories is going to continue for a while just because people are literally physically isolated.
Canedy: I think that you’re going to find more funding of journalism through foundations, for example, and through collaborations with places like ProPublica so that news organizations are able to combine resources. That’s going to be increasingly important to local markets. And so I think you’ll see more partnerships between competing news organizations.
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'diversity in the voices we amplify'