With Markus Dohle taking over at Random House after Peter Olson stepped down, ending his 10 year tenure, there are two very different scenarios playing out at the Bertelsmann publisher:

• "People are panicking and saying it couldn't be worse," said one Random House author. "On the face of it, it looks like the guy is a complete production bean counter. It doesn't look hopeful that he'll share the romantic idea of literature and publishing."

and:

• "In the near term, I think our new CEO will be doing a lot of listening," said [publicity VP Stuart] Applebaum. "Any speculation about sweeping changes is counter to what the new CEO and [Bertelsmann CEO] Hartmut Ostrowski are telling the staff - despite what some agents and hand wringers are telling you." [NYP]