Amazon ebook pricing battle intensifies after 'Authors United' ad

Compares Hachette dispute to past paperback fears, but partially quoting George Orwell is a risky moveAmazon has hit back following an open letter from more than 900 authors criticising its licensing dispute with publisher Hachette, which was published as an ad in the New York Times.However, the latest blog post from the Amazon Books Team is raising eyebrows within the publishing industry due to its use of a partial quote from George Orwell in support of its cause.We have made Amazon many millions of dollars and over the years have contributed so much, free of charge, to the company by way of cooperation, joint promotions, reviews and blogs.This is no way to treat a business partner. Nor is it the right way to treat your friends. Without taking sides on the contractual dispute between Hachette and Amazon, we encourage Amazon in the strongest possible terms to stop harming the livelihood of the authors on whom it has built its business.With it being so inexpensive and with so many more people able to afford to buy and read books, you would think the literary establishment of the day would have celebrated the invention of the paperback, yes? Nope. Instead, they dug in and circled the wagons.They believed low cost paperbacks would destroy literary culture and harm the industry (not to mention their own bank accounts). Many bookstores refused to stock them, and the early paperback publishers had to use unconventional methods of distribution places like newsstands and... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #status quo #penguin books #market share #big businesses #reading public

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Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Snow Queen' inspires Disney and a children's author

'The Snow Queen' inspired not only Disney's hit musical 'Frozen' but also author Karen Foxlee, who based her critically acclaimed novel 'Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy' on the wintry tale. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-02-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #inspires disney #snow queen #hit musical #critically acclaimed #marvelous boy #wintry tale


LinkedIn Is Looking More Like a Publisher as It Grows Its Native Ad Business

LinkedIn is looking more and more like a publisher these days. The professional networking site eschews the term, but its recent moves suggest otherwise, from its Influencers blog network to its acquisition of news reader Pulse and the introduction of native advertising. (LinkedIn calls them... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2014-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #make money #thought leadership #user engagement #technology company


YA literature convention announces authors

The organisers of the UK’s first YA literature convention has announced a range of authors... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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When Publishers Pay for Video Ad Views

Quality video ad inventory is still scarce. That's why companies such as Conde Nast, Meredith, AOL, and Entrepreneur.com are eager to generate as many video views as they possible can, and why they buy traffic from platforms like Swagbucks to help.The post When Publishers Pay for Video Ad Views... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishers pay #conde nast #video views #buy traffic


News Corp. profit tops estimates but ad sales dip

News Corp., the newspaper publisher that owns The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post, beat profit estimates and posted gains in real-estate services and book publishing, even as advertising... To view the full story, click the title link. Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2014-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #york post #book publishing


Sony turns the page on ebooks in North America

The PC business isn’t the only one Sony will abandon. The electronics giant is also closing the books on its North American ebook efforts.“Wait,” you’re probably saying after reading that sentence: “Sony was making an ebook effort in North America?”And you know, that’s pretty hurtful.Still, you... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2014-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sony reader #electronics giant #barnes noble


Sony to close Reader store and move users to Kobo's ebook platform in 'late March'

With its eye firmly fixed on a return to profitability, Sony's been making extensive cuts to its business arms in recent days (bye bye, VAIO!). So it's no surprise the company would train that cost-cutting eye onto another underperforming unit -- its... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ebook platform #late march


Times Co. Reports Digital Subscriber Increase, but Continued Ad Declines

The New York Times Company said it added digital subscribers and slowed its declines in print and digital advertising revenue during the fourth quarter of 2013, a year of transition for the newspaper publisher. For all of 2013, revenue from digital ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2014-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fourth quarter


Pamela Vandyke Price obituary

One of the first women to write about wine, she was known for her prickly putdowns and forthright views about food and drinkPamela Vandyke Price, who has died aged 90, was the first woman in Britain to write seriously about wine and spirits. Writing about drinking – its tastes, smells,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-02-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #early 1960s #fiercely loyal #tasting room


Slovenians Cheer Passage of Fixed Book Price Law

Years of effort on behalf of publishers has resulted in a new fixed book price law in Slovenia, which should help stabilize the tiny nation's book business. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-02-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book business


Time Inc. Ad Revenue Grows, but Only Because It Bought AmEx Publishing

Time Warner, the media company that owns HBO and the Warner Bros. film studio as well as Time Inc. for a few more months, surpassed analysts' estimates for both fourth-quarter revenue and profit in results reported on Wednesday.Excluding some items, earnings were $1.17 a share, the New... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-02-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #warner bros #film studio #york-based company #data compiled #pay-tv providers #fourth quarter


Mail Online fuels DMGT ad revenue rise

Daily Mail publisher reports that website's ad revenues increased by 48% to £14m in the final three months of 2013Mail Online's ad revenues increased by almost 50% to £14m in the final three months of last year, more than offsetting a fall in print advertising to keep the Daily Mail titles in... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-02-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sales decline #partially offset #dmg media #solid performance


5th Festival Neue Literatur to Bring German Authors to NYC

The fifth annual Festival Neue Literatur begins in NYC on February 28 with a series of readings and discussions with German-language authors. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #german-language authors


Apple faces $840M ebooks claim

Apple Inc. faces as much as $840 million in state and consumer antitrust claims related to electronic-book deals with publishers as it continues to oppose a court-ordered monitor in a related U.S.... To view the full story, click the title link. Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2014-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Two Authors Launch Brown Girls Publishing

Bestselling Simon & Schuster authors Victoria Christopher Murray and ReShonda Tate Billingsley are now teaming up on the business side: the two writers are launching Brown Girls Publishing, a new digital publishing venture that debuts today. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book the Writer service brings authors to book clubs – for a fee

While authors have appeared in person, via Skype or via telephone at book clubs before, Book the Writer has the clubs pay for the author's appearance. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Is $319.20 Too Much to Pay for an Ebook?

In an article for the Paris Review, “This Month’s Most Expensive E-Books," Dan Piepenbring wonders 'what's the limit one is willing to pay for a digital edition?" Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #paris review #digital edition


Publishers enjoy surging ebook export sales

UK publishers are reporting strengthening international ebook sales across 2013, with good... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #uk publishers


Colleen Hoover fans press publisher into print version of ebook

Romance author's fans succeed with social media drive to persuade Atria books into a paper version of free e-novella released late last yearAfter fans of the romance author Colleen Hoover bombarded her publisher with thousands of tweets and Facebook pleas, Atria has finally bowed to the pressure... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Why Publishers Need to Embrace Automated Ad Selling

The president of The Media Kitchen sees private marketplaces gaining traction with top publishers, and that's a good thing.The post Why Publishers Need to Embrace Automated Ad Selling appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #top publishers #good thing