The line between publishing and showbiz just got a little narrower: NBC News says that it has launched a new unit, NBC Publishing, that will produce ebooks based on works from its shows including Dateline, Today, and the NBC Nightly News. It also will tap products from other NBCUniversal units including Peacock Productions, NBC Sports, Universal Pictures, Telemundo, and independent authors who want to “create content that taps into NBC’s resources.”  NBC News SVP Cheryl Gould will be in charge of the New York-based operation, and Michael Fabiano will be its GM. They will work in partnership with traditional trade publishers the way NBC did when it teamed with Perseus Books Group to produce the ebooks JFK: 50 Days and Roots, and with Penguin for D-Day: The Battle For Normandy and Berlin 1961. NBC also says that it joined with Running Press to produce the enhanced ebook tribute to the Today Show, From Yesterday To Today, written by TV Guide magazine’s Stephen Battaglio. “As the tablet and e-reader markets continue to expand exponentially, and as the definition of ‘what is a ‘book?’ evolves, we see opportunities to bring readers a unique and immersive content experience,” Gould says. “This business enables NBC to use video, audio, and current programming in creative new ways.”

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