Justice Department formally charges Apple, big five publishers in ebook price fixing case (update)

The Justice Department has formally decided to sue Apple, Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillian, Penguin and Simon & Schuster over alleged ebook price-rigging. Apple and Macmillian have already denied any wrongdoing, saying that the agreements were enhancing competition in an industry previously dominated by Amazon. The case centers around a deal to switch to agency pricing, where the vendor takes a 30 percent cut of each sale rather than the wholesale model which allows stores to sell books at rock-bottom prices. It was previously believed that the publishers had cut back-room deals with the Government agency after bowing to pressure to withdraw Cupertino's "favored nation" status. If successful, the DoJ will allow Amazon and Barnes and Noble amongst others to return to the wholesale model to sell best-sellers at a loss, something that the big five are desperate to avoid, and will look to fight the battle in court. Update: The PDF of the DoJ's filing is now available online -- it makes for fascinating reading. Update 2: Bloomberg is now reporting that Simon & Schuster, Lagardère SCA's Hachette Book Group and HarperCollins have settled with the DoJ over unspecified terms. Hasty!Justice Department formally charges Apple, big five publishers in ebook price fixing case (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 10:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  Bloomberg, Department of Justice filing (PDF)  | Email this | Comments Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2012-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #sell books #previously believed #favored nation #fascinating reading

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Justice Department formally charges Apple, big five publishers in ebook price fixing case (update)'


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


Worms Battlegrounds and Nutjitsu are the first self-published games on Xbox One

Microsoft caught everyone's attention back when it introduced ID@Xbox. Now, nearly six months after the indie developer program was revealed, we're finally seeing the first titles to come out of it: Worms Battlegrounds and Nutjitsu. At this point,... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Canadian Government Signs E-book Consent Agreements with Four Publishers

After what the government said was an 18-month investigation, Canada’s Competition Bureau has reached consent agreements with four multinational publishers regarding their ebook pricing policies. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #multinational publishers #competition bureau


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


Religion Update February 2014: For Christian Fiction Editors, It’s Complicated

Acquiring editors face a daunting task when it comes to Christian and inspirational fiction: find gifted writers with strong voices presenting distinctive stories to lure readers looking for familiar yet unique, similar yet special books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #daunting task #inspirational fiction #lure readers #special books


Religion Update February 2014: Marketers Help Readers Discover Christian Fiction

Someone really ought to weave a tale about selling Christian and inspirational fiction: the overcrowded market, the distracted readers, and the rewards for those who overcome the odds. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #inspirational fiction


Religion Update February 2014: Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Despite mixed fortunes in 2013 in a category that might be feeling digital disruption more than any other, publishers of Christian and inspirational fiction remain optimistic as they look to the coming year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mixed fortunes #coming year


Finding the Value in Digital Publishing

Digital—readers, advertising, revenue—is growing, but publishers are managing that growth in different ways depending on where their value propositions lie. For a news-driven operation, that could mean emphasizing speed and developing paid products in niche verticals. It could be offering... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2014-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital publishing


Check It Out with Michael Kelley: Small Libraries Make a Big Impact

Big libraries get all the attention. But in late September of 2013, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) issued an interesting report on small and rural libraries in the United States. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #michael kelley #big impact #late september #interesting report


WEbook Relaunches as New Publishing Platform

Billing WEbook as a digital “slush pile,” Ardy Khazaei, its former president, told PW in 2009 that the Web site aimed to match agents with the kinds of manuscripts they were looking to represent. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing platform #told pw


Ed Sheeran to publish book with childhood friend

Cassell Illustrated will publish a book with UK singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran and his childhood... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publish book #childhood friend #ed sheeran #cassell illustrated


Should The Washington Post, The New York Times, and other Top Publishers Pool Their Video in a Consortium?

Interested in the business of high-quality web video? There’s a lot of good stuff from Washington Post video GM Steven Schiffman in this Beet.TV interview about the Post’s broad-strokes strategy for the business side of video. ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2014-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #business side #good stuff #tv interview


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


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


First self-publishing MA offers DIY education

University of Central Lancashire will coach students to make the most of their manuscriptsThe University of Central Lancashire has announced the launch of what it describes as the world's first degree in self-publishing.The MA will begin in September, and course leader Debbie Williams believes... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-02-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #established names


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


Issues on the Ether: How Is Self-Publishing Maturing?

This week's Publishing Perspective's #EtherIssue looks at the debate about quality and changing perceptions of the self-publishing community in the broader market. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing perspective ##etherissue #self-publishing community


Who are the Next Generation of Good Housekeepers? New Editor Looks to Update 129-Year-Old Magazine

Good Housekeeping is a monster brand for parent company Hearst. The 129-year-old magazine is among its largest in terms of revenue, with more than 4.4 million subscribers. Consumers place enormous trust in the Good Housekeeping Seal. Continue reading at AdAge.com Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #good housekeeping


Charlie Chaplin's only novel published for the first time

Footlights, the screen legend's unseen prequel in prose to the film Limelight, reflects his sadness at declining stardomRead an extract from Footlights by Charlie ChaplinThe only work of prose fiction ever written by Charlie Chaplin, a dark, nostalgic novella which was the root of his great... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mental health


Facebook, Google and Yahoo now say when the US government requests user content (update: Microsoft too)

Last week, the US government finally relented on letting technology companies publish more detail about national security requests; today, some bigger firms are taking advantage of the looser rules. Facebook, Google, LinkedIn and Yahoo have updated ... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #taking advantage