HarperCollins and MySpace Join Forces to Launch Interactive Online Community for Teen Readers

    NEW YORK, Dec. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- HarperTeen, an imprint of
 HarperCollins Publishers, has partnered with MySpace, the world's most
 popular social network, to launch MySpace/HarperTeen
 (www.myspace.com/harperteen), a customized interactive community for teen
 readers to connect with one another, read author blogs, interact on message
 boards and forums, learn about upcoming releases, post photos, and
 participate in HarperTeen contests, programs and online polls. Beginning
 January 2008, HarperTeen authors will regularly interact with readers via
 the HarperTeen/MySpace site through author chats.
 
     "With millions of teens spending their time online everyday, it makes
 perfect sense for us to partner with MySpace to build the HarperTeen
 community," says Diane Naughton, Vice President of Marketing at
 HarperCollins Children's Books. "Our custom community offers readers the
 latest updates on HarperTeen books and a place to interact with authors and
 peers -- all within the MySpace world."
 
     The MySpace/HarperTeen profile also provides user generated content
 tools where MySpace users can "Create and Share" by submitting their own
 creative writing and getting feedback from their peers in the HarperTeen
 community.
 
     Through January 7th, 2008, MySpace/HarperTeen users can enter the first
 "Create and Share" writing contest by submitting original entries in the
 form of short stories, poems, and songs. The winning writer will receive a
 $5,000 cash prize and a phone call from their favorite HarperTeen author. A
 panel of HarperTeen judges will select the ten most original and creative
 entries, but the MySpace/HarperTeen community will vote for the actual
 winner. Finalists and their work will be featured on the HarperTeen profile
 and various other MySpace pages.
 
     "With writing contests, must-read book lists, author blogs, fun forums
 and so much more, HarperTeen and MySpace have created a fabulous,
 interactive place for readers!" says Sara Shepard, author of the
 bestselling Pretty Little Liars series.
 
     The MySpace/HarperTeen profile will also keep readers informed of new
 releases via their "Weekend Read" bulletin. Every Friday, users receive a
 book recommendation and can discuss the book the following week on the
 message boards.
 
     Throughout the partnership, HarperTeen and MySpace will work together
 to update the HarperTeen/MySpace profile with the latest contests, video
 trailers, polls, quizzes and information about new releases. MySpace will
 also promote the HarperTeen profile throughout their site.
 
     About HarperTeen
 
     HarperTeen is the new home of the most exciting teen publishing
 happening anywhere. HarperTeen books may pull back the curtain on the
 fabulous lives of the beautiful people, go beneath the humdrum veneer of
 the girl next door, or offer a glimpse into the days and nights of troubled
 teens. Comprising a wide range of critically acclaimed and bestselling
 titles, HarperTeen books reflect teen readers' own lives, their everyday
 realities and their aspirations, their struggles and their triumphs. From
 topical contemporary novels to lighthearted series books, from
 award-winning literary tales to smart and sassy beach reads, HarperTeen is
 the place to find compelling voices that get to the heart of what it means
 to be a teen. You can visit HarperTeen on the Internet at
 www.harperteen.com and www.myspace.com/harperteen.
 
     Current HarperTeen titles include: Ana's Story by Jenna Bush, The Luxe
 by Anna Godbersen, and the Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard.
 
     About HarperCollins Publishers
 
     HarperCollins, one of the largest English-language publishers in the
 world, is a subsidiary of News Corporation (NYSE:   NWS, NWS.A; ASX: NWS,
 NWSLV). Headquartered in New York, HarperCollins has publishing groups
 around the world including the HarperCollins General Books Group,
 HarperCollins Children's Books Group, Zondervan, HarperCollins UK,
 HarperCollins Canada, HarperCollins Australia/New Zealand and HarperCollins
 India. HarperCollins is a broad-based publisher with strengths in literary
 and commercial fiction, business books, children's books, cookbooks,
 mystery, romance, reference, religious and spiritual books. With nearly 200
 years of history HarperCollins has published some of the world's foremost
 authors and has won numerous awards including the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer
 Prize and National Book Award, the Newbery Medal and the Caldecott.
 Consistently at the forefront of innovation and technological advancement,
 HarperCollins is the first publisher to digitize its content and create a
 global digital warehouse to protect the rights of its authors, meet
 consumer demand and generate additional business opportunities. You can
 visit HarperCollins Publishers on the Internet at
 http://www.harpercollins.com.
 
     About MySpace
 
     MySpace, a unit of Fox Interactive Media Inc., is the premier lifestyle
 portal for connecting with friends, discovering popular culture, and making
 a positive impact on the world. By integrating web profiles, blogs, instant
 messaging, e-mail, music streaming, music videos, photo galleries,
 classified listings, events, groups, college communities, and member
 forums, MySpace has created a connected community. As the first ranked web
 domain in terms of page views(*), MySpace is the most widely-used and
 highly regarded site of its kind and is committed to providing the highest
 quality member experience. MySpace will continue to innovate with new
 features that allow its members to express their creativity and share their
 lives, both online and off. MySpace's international network includes
 localized community sites in the United States, France, Germany, Australia,
 Ireland, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Netherlands,
 New Zealand, Japan, Sweden, Latin America, Denmark, Norway, Finlandand the
 United Kingdom. Fox Interactive Media is a division of News Corp. (NYSE:  
 NWS)(NYSE:   NWS.A)(ASX: NWS)(ASX: NWSLV).
 
     (*) Among the top 2000 domains comScore Media Metrix, November 2007.
 For more information on comScore Networks, please go to
 http://www.comscore.com.
 
 
 

SOURCE HarperCollins Publishers