Nielsen Signs Agreement to Acquire Bowker Business Intelligence and Commerce Solutions ProductsDeal Will Enhance Nielsen's Book Solutions Portfolio, Brings Deeper Insights and Improved Efficiencies to Global Book Industry
New York and New Providence-Aug. 21, 2013-Nielsen, a global information and measurement company, and ProQuest affiliate R.R. Bowker, a leading provider of bibliographic information and management solutions, have signed a definitive agreement for Nielsen to acquire Bowker's Business Intelligence and Commerce Solutions products. This acquisition will build on Nielsens existing global book intelligence by adding enhanced offerings in transaction services and sales measurement and analysis.
Bowker's industry-leading Business Intelligence and Commerce Solutions products will be integrated into Nielsen's book portfolio upon completion of the acquisition. Nielsen will soon be able to measure the impact of eBook sales in the U.S. and U.K. and provide insights and trends around the volume and value of book sales by various demographic criteria. Nielsen will also be able to offer for the first time a B2B service that enables retailers to source and order books throughout the English-language book market.
We are committed to elevating the global book industry's understanding of print and digital book measurement and discovery within an evolving media landscape, said Jonathan Nowell, President, Books, Nielsen. Bowker has developed first-rate book analytic solutions, which offer a great complement to Nielsen's existing solutions for the book industry. We are excited to welcome Bowkers team to Nielsen, and we will work together to provide our clients with the measurement, tools, insights and linked commerce solutions needed to exceed their current and future expectations."
Our commitment at Bowker and ProQuest is to develop solutions that streamline the workflow of our customers, said ProQuest CEO Kurt Sanford. By bringing together Nielsen and Bowker analytic services, book publishers will receive the critical data they require to navigate the transition to digital-first publishing, through one tool set from one source, significantly simplifying the collection of business intelligence.
Bowker will continue to play a key role for book publishers by powering and transforming book discovery. Working closely with its affiliate ProQuest, Bowker will focus on facilitating and enhancing book discovery through technology solutions, such as Syndetic Solutions and Summon , and through identifier services (including ISBNs and ISNIs).
This acquisition of select Bowker products underscores Nielsens desire to advance the holistic understanding and supply chain efficiency of the global book industry. Bowker products that will be available as part of the Nielsen Book portfolio include:
Business Intelligence products: PubTrack Digital, PubTrack Christian, PubTrack Higher-Ed, and Bowker Market Research Books & Consumers, Global Ebook Monitor and custom research
Commerce Solutions products: PubEasy and Pubnet
The Nielsen Book portfolio currently includes BookData, BookNet, Registration Agencies and BookScan.
ABOUT NIELSEN Nielsen Holdings N.V. (NYSE: NLSN) is a global information and measurement company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence and mobile measurement. Nielsen has a presence in approximately 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA and Diemen, the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.
ABOUT BOWKER Bowker (www.bowker.com) is the worlds leading provider of bibliographic information and management solutions designed to help publishers, booksellers, and libraries better serve their customers. Creators of products and services that make books easier for people to discover, evaluate, order, and experience, the company also generates research and resources for publishers, helping them understand and meet the interests of readers worldwide. Bowker, a ProQuest affiliate, is the official ISBN Agency for the United States and its territories. The company is headquartered in New Providence, New Jersey, with additional operations in England and Australia.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Nielsen: Alana Johnson, 646-654-8391, alana.johnson@nielsen.com
Bowker/ProQuest: Beth Dempsey, 248-349-7810, beth.dempsey@proquest.com
