Andrews McMeel Universal, the parent company of Universal Press Syndicate and Uclick has merged the two companies to create Universal Uclick. From the press release:
Andrews McMeel Universal is now composed of two distinct but collaborative organizations: Universal Uclick and Andrews McMeel Publishing (AMP). AMP is a leading publisher of humor, gift, general trade, cookbooks, and calendars with more than 300 new titles annually, including the two most expensive New York Times Best Sellers on record, The Complete Far Side and The Complete Calvin and Hobbes. Through Universal Uclick and AMP, Andrews McMeel Universal is positioned to offer unique access to multi-channel distribution for authors and artists, and to take advantage of rapidly developing opportunities in syndication and licensing, both in print and in the digital realm. Lee Salem, Universal Press Syndicate president, has been named interim chief executive officer while a search for a permanent CEO of the new company is under way. Douglas Edwards has resigned to pursue other opportunities.
Over the past four decades, Universal Press Syndicate has discovered and brought to global markets many of the most popular humor, games, and editorial features in newspapers. Universal Press is a unique success story in that it has been privately owned since it was formed in 1970 by business partners John McMeel and Jim Andrews.
So what does this mean for uClick features that aren’t part of the Universal Press family? Like the King Features and Creators’ titles?
I suspect whatever agreement was in place before this stays in place. Comics.com also runs WPWG/Creators stuff, so I don’t know that it changes anything.
My gut reaction is positive: an expanded umbrella under a unified vision that will integrate the potential for two distribution systems.
I don’t think it’s “either” “or” anymore.
I think it’s “both.”
–Lee
It sounds promising to me. My initial reaction was “oh hell…” but if they play the cards right this could be a great thing.
Let us pray…