Noted publishing experts will offer insights on how to maximize profits and take advantage of new opportunities for mid-list and backlist titles

New York, NY (February 21, 2006) -- The Book Industry Study Group, Inc. (BISG) today announced a distinguished roster of speakers for their third annual Making Information Pay event, to be held April 27, 2006 at the Hudson Theater in New York. This year's event, subtitled "Beyond the Bestsellers," will focus on how smart publishers, distributors and booksellers can increase sales in the "long tail" of the book market, to enable backlist and mid-list titles to be as financially attractive as mainstream titles.

CHRIS ANDERSON, Editor-in-Chief of Wired magazine and author of The Long Tail, will present the keynote address, followed by noted publishing industry professionals who will present best practices and real world solutions to increase sales throughout the publishing life-cycle, from printing to distribution to marketing, sales and retailing. Making Information Pay 2006 is presented by BISG and sponsored by VISTA International.

In addition to Anderson, other confirmed speakers include:

• KIRBY BEST, President & CEO, Lightning Source
  "Discovering markets for the deep backlist and small sellers"
  
• IAN BRADIE, Press Distribution Director, Cambridge University Press
  "How to grow sales (and profits) by keeping your backlist alive"
  
• MARK SUCHOMEL, President, Independent Publishers Group
  "How to reduce the risk of publishing and distributing mid-list titles"
  
• CAROL FITZGERALD, President, The Book Report Network
  "How to successfully market mid-list titles to niche markets"
  
• BORIS WERTZ, COO, Abebooks.com
  "How to cost effectively sell books to micro-markets"
  

"The goal of Making Information Pay has always been to provide real-world, practical advice and solutions for publishing industry professionals," said Ted Hill, President of THA Consulting and Making Information Pay moderator for the past three years. "That the event has sold out the last two years in a row proves its relevance to the industry as well as its ability to provide value."

"VISTA is proud to again sponsor Making Information Pay 2006, which brings key industry players together to ignite future trends and present winning strategies to the publishing industry," said George Lossius, Managing Director of Applications and Technology, VISTA International. "The issues discussed here are vital to successfully use e-commerce, online marketing and innovative business processes for increased sales and profitability."

Making Information Pay 2006 will take place at the Hudson Theater, located in the Millennium Broadway Hotel, 145 West 44th Street, in New York City. Registration is $75 for BISG Members and $145 for Non-Members. Register online at the BISG website.

Media Contact:
Angela Bole
Marketing and Communications Manager
Book Industry Study Group, Inc.
646-336-7141
angela@bisg.org
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About Book Industry Study Group, Inc.
The Book Industry Study Group, Inc. (BISG) is the U.S. book industry's leading trade association for policy, standards and research. The mission of BISG is to create a more informed, empowered, and efficient book industry supply chain. Membership consists of publishers, manufacturers, suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, librarians, and others engaged in the business of print and electronic media. For 30 years, BISG has provided a forum for all industry professionals to come together and efficiently address issues and concerns to advance the book community.

Learn more about BISG at www.bisg.org.

About VISTA International
VISTA International is the leading worldwide provider of software solutions and services for the publishing industry. VISTA is a committed business partner to publishers, distributors and booksellers supported by our systems throughout the world. Our solutions fit all aspects of the publishing value chain, from author care through production, rights and royalties to warehouse and fulfillment - all integrated in an e-business environment, with full access to the analytical power of Publishing Intelligence.

To complement our comprehensive enterprise solutions, the full range of VISTA services include applications implementation, applications management and hosting services, and publishing-specific business consulting, together with lifetime customer support.

VISTA was founded in 1977 and has offices in Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region. Learn more at www.vistacomp.com.

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