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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Paywalls Boost Ad Rates for Some Magazines and Newspapers, OPA Study Finds

Online paywalls are helping some newspaper and magazine websites increase the ad rates they charge, according to a new report from the Online Publishers Association.It's a hopeful sign for publishers that have hesitated to erect paywalls, despite the potential to generate new revenue from... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2013-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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SIBA Rolls Out Author Inspired Wrapping Paper

SIBA rolls out wrapping paper featuring over 150 author signatures collected during the SIBA 2013 trade show in New Orleans. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Stop spying on us! Authors' upset

It is the stuff of books and now it has become very real, with Australian authors Anna Funder, Frank Moorhouse and David Malouf joining the fight to demand an end to mass surveillance.     Continue reading at The Sydney Morning Herald

[ The Sydney Morning Herald | 2013-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon's new imprint StoryFront will publish short stories

The new imprint of the online bookseller has already released works by authors including William Lashner and Rebecca Adams Wright. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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6 Companies That Are Trying to Solve the Native Ad Scaling Issue

As the banner ad loses its luster, online publishers from BuzzFeed to Quartz are turning to units that capture the look and feel of the host site's content. The purists say that truly native advertising can't be scaled without losing its bespoke (read: expensive) feel. No wonder, then, that a... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2013-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Phaidon Taps Judith Regan to Head New Multimedia Unit

In an unexpected move, Phaidon, a publisher best known for its lavishly produced art books, has hired Judith Regan to oversee a new division at the company called Regan Arts. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tribune files plan with SEC ahead of publishing unit spinoff

Tribune Co. took a key step in the planned spinoff of its publishing business on Monday, filing a Form 10 registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2013-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple to give away songs, ebooks, apps during '12 Days of Gifts'

Apple will be giving away digital gifts every day for 12 days after Christmas to users of an app released Tuesday.     Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Buying Guide: Find the perfect ebook reader

What's the best device if you want to embrace a post-paper reading world? That all depends on whether you want a dedicated reading device or a more versatile tablet. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2013-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook Admits Organic Reach Is Falling Short, Urges Marketers to Buy Ads

Facebook is being more blunt about the fact that marketers are going to have to pay for reach.If they haven't already, many marketers will soon see the organic reach of their posts on the social network drop off, and this time Facebook is acknowledging it. In a sales deck obtained by Ad Age that... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2013-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Manil Suri Wins the One Book Prize Most Authors Don’t Want

The Literary Review has awarded its 21st annual Bad Sex in Fiction Award to Manil Suri for a scene in The City of Devi featuring a, err, stellar climax. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Toothless Fixed Book Price Law Undermines Mexican Bookstores

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Indies First: Authors share their experiences working as booksellers

The Indies First movement garnered more than 1,000 authors working at bookstores across the US and in Canada for Small Business Saturday, including James Patterson and Garth Stein. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon launches short story imprint

Amazon Publishing has launched a new digital short story imprint in the US called StoryFront.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fixed Pricing Law Project Gets the Green Light in Québec

Nearly 16 months after the Québec publishing industry began its quest for fixed pricing on new titles, they finally got what they wanted...sort of. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In Taiwan Reading is Cool, But Lukewarm on Ebooks

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon’s Australian Kindle store: an unhappy ending for the book industry?

Amazon has been prising open the wallets of Australian consumers for years – but what will its local push on Kindle mean for readers, writers and publishers?Ben Eltham Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2013-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Supreme Court Won't Hear Amazon Appeal in NYS Tax Case

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon plans drone delivery

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Biteback author bids to overturn Ward conviction

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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