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

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Distribution: Blue Apple Signs with Consortium

New Jersey-based Blue Apple Books has chosen Perseus Books Group member Consortium for its distribution in the U.S. and Canada, effective June 1. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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WhatsApp is the first of several big acquisitions for Facebook

If the announcement of Facebook paying $19 billion in cash and stock for WhatsApp surprised you then maybe you’d forgotten this prediction I published on January 8th: #6 -- Facebook transforms itself (or tries to) with a huge acquisition. I wrote long ago that we’d never see Facebook in the Dow... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2014-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Time to rethink the publishing internship?

Gawker's new Recruits program will gauge prospective writers not on the writing itself, but rather what kind of traffic that writing generates. That's a uniquely digital spin on the idea of the internship, which is the traditional way that publications find and mold new hires. But instead of... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Do publishers need a WhatsApp strategy?

WhatsApp, Facebook's bold $19 billion acquisition, may be best known as a cross-platform instant messaging service for smartphones. But it could become an invaluable distribution tool for publishers.The post Do publishers need a WhatsApp strategy? appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Way Publishers Cash In Twitter Referrals Now (Hint: More Ads)

Much bandwidth has been consumed discussing the effects of Facebook's recent algorithm change to favor sites offering "high quality" content. It's been said to hurt viral sites like Upworthy -- a notion the site's founders have denied -- while rewarding other publishers including Mental... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Yellow Kite to publish Ella Woodward

Hodder & Stoughton imprint Yellow Kite is to publish blogger Ella Woodward’s cookbook... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple Remains Defiant After Loss on Monitor Appeal

In a letter filed yesterday, Apple advised the court that it would only provide those documents to the monitor that it viewed as being within the monitor’s narrow mandate. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After Losing Monitor Appeal, Apple Gets a Referee

The appointment of Dolinger to oversee any future disputes appears designed to ensure any future Apple disputes have merit, and that the parties are at least working constructively to resolve those disputes. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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LinkedIn opens its blog publishing platform to everyone

A handful of big-shot professionals have long had the freedom to express themselves through LinkedIn's blogging platform, but most careerists have had to sit on the sidelines. Starting today, though, just about everyone can have their voices heard --... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-02-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Cornerstone buys four from self-published Tracy Bloom

Cornerstone has signed a four-book deal with Kindle self-published author Tracy Bloom. Jenny... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-02-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Digital Manga, Inc. to Publish Tezuka Backlist

Tezuka Productions and Digital Manga, Inc. have announced a deal to translate and digitally publish hundreds of volumes of manga by revered manga and anime creator Osamu Tezuka. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Inside Nubico, Spain’s Latest Ebook Subscription Service

We talk to David Fernández Payatos, CEO of Nubico, the Spanish ebook subscription service that is looking to acquire 30% of Spain's e-reading market. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-02-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In Spain, Has the Increase in Ebook Releases Reduced Piracy?

Increased market supply appears to be having an impact on Spanish ebook piracy, though it remains a widespread problem. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-02-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tricks of the trade: How to game the publishing system

When it comes to online publishing, building an audience organically with compelling content and monetizing it successfully with ads from big-name brands is extremely hard work. Luckily, there's a much easier way to make money: Arbitrage.The post Tricks of the trade: How to game the publishing... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-02-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tribune Co. expects $325-million dividend from publishing spinoff

The dividend figure, which is not final, appears in a document related to Tribune's purchase in December of a group of TV stations. In spinning off its publishing business, Tribune Co. will pick up a dividend that could be about $325 million from the new public company, which would consist of... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2014-02-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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German publishers join collecting society to collect money from Google

Twelve German online news publishers have taken a 50 percent stake in collecting society VG Media, with the aim of receiving compensation from search engines that republish parts of news articles.Joining collecting society VG Media is the publishers’ first step toward collecting compensation... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2014-02-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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These top publishers are still mobile Web holdouts

The mobile Web experience has improved significantly over the past few years as publishers have come to the realization that this smartphone and tablet thing isn't going away. But there are still some responsive design holdouts. The post These top publishers are still mobile Web holdouts... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-02-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Byliner Publishes Enhanced 'American Icons' E-books

The first three titles to be released will be I Love Lucy, The Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, and The Disney Parks. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Iain Banks's final book – of poetry – to be published in 2015

Collection will include work by Banks's friend Ken MacLeod and will come out on the anniversary of his death in FebruaryThe final work by Iain Banks – a collection of poetry by the late author – will be released next February, his publisher has announced.Banks died last June, two months after... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-02-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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JK Rowling to publish second novel as Robert Galbraith

The Silkworm focuses on killing of a vindictive novelist who has written character assassinations of his peersThe new novel from JK Rowling, written under her pseudonym Robert Galbraith, will feature a novelist who is brutally murdered after writing poison pen-portraits of nearly everyone he... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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