AOL Time Warner's books division looks set to receive limited interest buyers after some of the publishing world's largest players indicated they would not participate in the auction being held by the troubled media group.

　　With the deadline for initial bids looming Harper Collins, the publishing division of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, on Tuesday said it would not be submitting a bid for the business, which includes the Little, Brown imprint. Viacom's Simon & Schuster subsdiary has also decided not to bid, people familiar with the matter said.