Authors fear the worst if Penguin owner takes over Simon & Schuster

Analysis: if Bertelsmann, owner of Penguin Random House, buys US publisher, writers expect smaller deals and less choice for readersUK watchdog investigates Penguin owner’s Simon & Schuster takeoverJokes circulated online when, in 2013, Penguin and Random House merged: would the new mega-publisher, which became the world’s biggest trade publishing group, be known as Random Penguin? Penguin House? Now, as the prosaically named Penguin Random House’s parent company Bertelsmann’s $2.17bn acquisition of Simon & Schuster comes under scrutiny in the UK, the jokes are fewer and further between.Authors have made it abundantly clear that they fear the fallout if the deal goes ahead. When it was first announced last November, the Authors Guild in the US was quick to register its objections. The acquisition, which would bring heavyweight S&S authors including Hillary Clinton, John Irving, Stephen King and Bob Woodward under the PRH umbrella in the US, would “creat[e] a huge imbalance in the US publishing industry”, it warned, calling on the US justice department to step in. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2021-03-22 23:24:23 UTC ]

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Tech Firms Rally, Expecting Justice Department to Oppose Transparency Requests

Apple, Dropbox, Facebook, Google, Mozilla, Reddit, Tumblr, Twitter, Yahoo and other tech companies today sent a letter to the heads of the U.S. Senate and House Judiciary Committees in support of proposed legislation that would allow them to publish statistics about secret national security... Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2013-09-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Next Issue Media, the Hulu for iPad Magazines, Expands to Canada, Adds New Investor

Next Issue Media, the publishing industry's attempt to create a Hulu-style joint venture for digital magazines, is expanding to Canada and taking on a new investor. The JV, whose members include Time Inc., Hearst and Conde Nast, will add Rogers Communications' Roger Media unit as an equity... Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2013-09-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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‘Dr. Sleep’ Wakes Up Social Media

Stephen King’s follow-up to his 1977 novel The Shining was the most buzzed-about book on social media for the month of September. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-09-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Changing Job Market

A panel of industry experts gathered to discuss the state of publishing’s ever-changing jobs market at a Publishers Weekly Discussion Series on September 25, at Random House’s offices in midtown Manhattan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-09-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Random House Launches Curated Magazines on Flipboard

Random House has launched new magazines aimed at exploring worlds created by their authors. First up: Margaret Atwood and George R.R. Martin. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-09-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Random House to Offer Dr. Seuss as Ebooks

Random House Children’s Books is releasing Dr. Seuss' bestselling oeuvre as ebooks for the first time. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-09-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Oyster: A Gorgeous New App Offering Unlimited Books for $9.95 a Month

Can a Spotify-like service created by ex-Googlers shake up the publishing industry?     Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2013-09-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Random House launches 'Happy Foodie'

Random House has launched "The Happy Foodie" website, together with a newsletter and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-09-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple ebooks judge to limit antitrust remedies

The federal judge who last month found Apple Inc. liable for fixing ebook prices said she plans to limit the remedies sought by the U.S. to ensure they "rest as lightly as possible" on the way the company does business.U.S. District Judge Denise Cote in Manhattan Tuesday said she intends to... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2013-08-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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DOJ offers to cut injunction time in Apple ebook case, stays firm on key points

The US Justice Department was insistent that its proposed injunction against Apple for alleged ebook price fixing was the proper remedy earlier this month, but it's now willing to budge on that somewhat. As Reuters reports, the DOJ has offered to cut the length of the injunction from ten to five... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Distribution: RH and Beacon Press Renew

Beacon will continue to utilize the full portfolio of Random House's sales and distribution services for both their newly published and backlist physical and digital titles. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-08-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Judge denies Apple's request to suspend ebook antitrust ruling

Apple, in its ongoing battle over an ebook price fixing scandal, has been dealt yet another setback. Last month, Judge Denise Cote ruled that Apple had violated antitrust laws in conspiring with publishers to raise ebook prices. Cupertino asked for a temporary suspension of her ruling while it... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Gauging the Digital Divide

There’s still no more relevant topic of debate in the publishing industry than the future of the physical book versus the exponentially growing influence of digital publishing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-08-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E-book publishers side with Apple, ask DoJ to scrap new price-fixing rules

Apparently Apple isn't the only company thinking the US Department of Justice's recently imposed remedies against it were "draconian." US publishers HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Penguin and others have also ganged up on the DOJ with a legal brief opposing the punitive restrictions. In... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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George Saunders' Syracuse commencement address to become book

The commencement address George Saunders delivered this past spring at Syracuse University, which has gone viral across the Internet, will be published next year as a book by Random House.From the department of it had to happen: The commencement address George Saunders delivered this past spring... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New Rhonda Byrne for November

Simon & Schuster is to publish Hero, a new book by The Secret author Rhonda Byrne on 19th... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers object to U.S. punishment for Apple

Publishers who have settled an electronic book pricing dispute with the federal government say they object to penalties the government wants to impose on Apple Inc.A judge ruled in an antitrust case last month that Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple had joined a conspiracy to drive up the price of... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2013-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers Object to E-Book Plan for Apple

Five major U.S. publishers objected to the Justice Department's proposal to limit Apple's influence in the electronic books market, saying it would effectively alter their existing settlements with the U.S. government. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2013-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Random House Launches SF/Fantasy Writing Community

Suvudu, Random House's online destination for science fiction and fantasy fans, launched Suvudu Universe, an online community for SF and fantasy bloggers. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-08-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Feds, states want Apple to revamp ebook practices

The Justice Department and 33 state attorneys general want to force Apple to sign contracts with publishers that don't prevent Apple or other ebook stores from competing on price.     Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-08-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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