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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E-books added to inflation basket

E-books have been added to the basket of goods used to calculate the UK's rate of inflation, but Freeview set-top boxes are out. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2013-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E-books added to ONS 'basket of goods'

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has added ebooks to the basket of goods and services... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Cook may have to testify in ebooks case

Apple CEO Tim Cook could be deposed in the US government's lawsuit against the company over alleged price-setting in the ebook market. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2013-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Many Copies Does It Take To Be an Amazon Bestseller?

Amazon, the biggest bookseller in America, is also famously one of the most tight-lipped. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Author Turns to Self-Publishing, with Help From ‘Podmates’

Brenda Peterson is one of the growing number of authors who are working on self-published projects in addition to writing books released by traditional houses. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New UK Ebook Platform to Allow Readers to Share Titles via Facebook

In the UK a new ebook platform Boosh will allow readers to share an ebook with a fellow Facebook user to read for free after its read and deleted from their own account. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Did Amazon Just Kill a Golden Goose?

By curtailing paid commission to free ebook listing sites, Amazon is penalizing the big traffic producers that generate brand loyalty and other purchases. But why? Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-02-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon's Kindle Gets Exclusive Role In New PTA Family Reading Program

Amazon's got a new Kindle promotion vehicle, thanks to the National PTA, which wants to boost kids' reading with their families. Amazon's Kindle is the exclusive sponsor of the new Family Reading Experience program that the National PTA wants to roll out across the U.S. to boost kids' reading... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2013-02-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tribune Co. hires investment bankers to explore sale of newspaper unit

Tribune Co. has hired investment bankers to advise the media company on the sale of its newspaper publishing unit, according to a source familiar with the matter. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Children's author Patricia MacLachlan honors Newtown residents with new book

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[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ether for Authors: The Stay-Seated Writers’ Conference

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-02-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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‘Step change’ for birders with Bloomsbury ebooks

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E L James boosts ebook adoption

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ingram’s MyiLibrary Tackles Thorny Ebook Lending Scenarios

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-02-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Three indie bookstores file lawsuit against Amazon and Big Six publishers

The stores charge that secret agreements made between the publishers and Amazon give Amazon the advantage in selling ebooks, but some industry observers find flaws in their logic. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-02-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon makes White Glove push to agents

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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EC confirms crackdown on ebook VAT

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Debut author gets 7-figure book deal

A debut author who graduated from the celebrated Iowa Writers' Workshop has a seven-figure book deal.HarperCollins announced Wednesday that it will publish Erika Johansen's Queen of the Tearling, a fantasy trilogy inspired in part by Barack Obama.A person with knowledge of the negotiations said... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2013-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mantel climbs Amazon charts as press storm continues

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers Say Paywalls, Price Hikes are Working for Newspapers

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[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-02-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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