Mkting Study & Adult Purchases of HP

[vjmerri]

Original Yahoo! HPFG Header:
No: HPFGUIDX C7642
From: vjmerri
Subject: Re: Mkting Study & Adult Purchases of HP
Reply To: [Yahoo! #7627] Mkting Study & Adult Purchases of HP
Date: 8/23/00 2:23 pm  (ET)

By: plinsenmayer
for HP clearly, clearly show that a number of these books are being
bought by adults. Mkting studies support this. The NY Times editor has
his head in the sand. IMO.
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No he doesn't. HE knows perfectly well that vast numbers of these books
are being purchased and read by adults. He just doesn't care, and thus
has to lie/misinform the public in order to justify the Times response.

Its a combination of two things. 1) the other publishers are probably
exerting pressure on the Times (and I suspect this can happen.) 2) The
Times is frustrated and annoyed that HP is such a bestseller because
it's not standard "novel" material and has been on the list for SO LONG
and thus no other book gets there. Never mind that the numbers justify
its places on the list. We can't allow it to stay.

Before this started I really trusted the Times on the NY Times Best
Seller list. I thought it was simply that, the best seller list. Now
I understand that its a "best selling books list that we think are
appropriate to consider books as long as no one stays too long or is
not what we want it to be."

This is probably similar to your rants on the subject, but I'm very
disappointed with the NY Times and their open obvious machinations whose
sole purpose is to get HP off the Times list and to keep him off. Too
bad Scholastic can't charge them with discrimination, but I don't think
age discrimination would stretch to fit and a place on the NY Times list
isn't protected under the 14th Amendment.

Actually, even if it was legally discrimination, I doubt Scholastic
would actually take it to court. It would be an interesting case though.

Vicki