The New York Times and Random House, Inc. Sign New Book Publishing Agreement

Posted on January 28, 2000

The New York Times and Random House, Inc. have announced the signing of an agreement that redefines their longstanding book publishing relationship. Since 1984, under an agreement that expired at the end of last year, Random House's Times Books imprint has had the right of first refusal on all material published in The Times. While that right has ended under the new agreement, Random House will remain the exclusive publisher of the New York Times crossword puzzle books. The Times can now create and license non-puzzle books bearing their imprimateur to any publisher. In addition, by mid-year, Random House, Inc. titles will no longer use the Times Books name on new releases, with the Times Book name and logo reverting to The New York Times.

To allow for an orderly transition for the publisher, trade outlets, authors, and readers, Random House will continue to publish new titles under the Times Books name through June 2000. After that, future titles currently under contract to Times Books will be published by a newly created line of Random House's Crown Publishing Group as well as by one of Crown's existing imprints. Times Books has been a part of the Crown publishing division since last fall.