AST (publisher)

AST (Russian: АСТ) is one of the largest book publishing companies in Russia,[2] headed by Oleg Bartenev (Олег Бартенев). It owns a bookstores chain "Bukva" (Russian: Буква, lit. A Letter).

AST
AST publishers' booth,
Moscow International Book Fair 2011
Parent companyEksmo (since 2012)[1]
Founded1993
FounderAndrey Gertsev, Sergei Derevianko and Tatiana Derevianko
Country of originRussia
Key peopleOleg Bartenev (general director)
Official websiteOfficial website

Among AST partners are publishing companies Astrel, Zebra E, Molodaya Gvardiya, CenterCom, bookstores Moscow and Biblio Globus and online shops, such as Ozon.ru.[3] It also owns comic book and manga publisher Comics Factory.[4]

History

The company was established in 1990 by Andrey Gertsev, Sergei Derevianko and Tatiana Derevianko as "Creative Cooperative Association AST" (Russian: Творческое кооперативное объединение «АСТ»). AST is an abbreviation meaning Andrey-Sergei-Tatiana. In 1993 the company was divided into AST itself, headed by Andrey Gertsev, and AST-PRESS.

As of 2007, AST and its rival (later parent company) Eksmo together published approximately 30% of all Russian books.[5] In 2008 AST purchased Avanta+.[6]

On April 19, 2012 the commercial subdivision of AST "Pyaty okean" filed for bankruptcy, as their debts exceeded 7,5 billion roubles.[7] Eksmo stated that they had plans for AST purchase. In June 2012 Oleg Novikov, the general director of Eksmo, reported that Eksmo gained control on several subdivisions of AST, with an exception of "Bukva" bookstores chain.[8]

References
  1. Eksmo and AST: Russia’s Two Publishing Giants Merge
  2. "Top 20 Russian Publishers" (in Russian). RBC Information Systems. April 10, 2006. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
  3. "Partners" (in Russian). AST official website. Archived from the original on 2 February 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  4. "Comic book Crime and Punishment will be published in Yekaterinburg" (in Russian). E1.ru. February 27, 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  5. "Books' Obstruction" (in Russian). Sostav.ru. October 16, 2007. Archived from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
  6. Издательский рынок на текущий момент обгоняет книготорговый [Publishing market is outstripping a bookselling]. № 4 (250) (in Russian). Delovaya Pressa. 2009-02-26. Archived from the original on 25 January 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  7. Торговое подразделение издательства АСТ объявило себя банкротом из-за долгов (in Russian). Gazeta.ru. 2012-04-19. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  8. Boletskaya, Ksenia (2012-06-26). Читатели любят российских авторов (in Russian). Vedomosti. Retrieved 17 September 2012.


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