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)'


Gloomy Outlook Persists for Newspaper Publishers Torstar and Quebecor

(Reuters) - Canadian newspaper publishers Torstar Corp and Quebecor Inc delivered more bad news to investors on Wednesday, saying that cost cuts were failing to keep pace with an accelerating decline in print media revenue. Torstar sha ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-05-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bad news #cost cuts #print media


Surveying Ebook Adoption in Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia

Recent reports from Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia indicate growth in indigenous ebook development and dealmaking across the region. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-05-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #recent reports


Federal judge rules that used ebooks cannot be sold by consumers

Start-up company ReDigi had planned to allow users to sell used ebooks but were told by a judge that doing so would be illegal. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-05-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Barnes & Noble drops Nook prices, eyes Mother's Day sales boost

Barnes & Noble knows it's not winning the tablet race by any margin, but the book retailer is hoping for a big boost for Mother's Day.     Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-05-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #barnes noble #book retailer #big boost


Are Extravagant Publisher’s Stands at Book Fairs Worthwhile?

Do extravagant stands at book fairs make a difference? Are they a mere splurge, or might they spark the interest of an investor or catch the eye of an author or agent? Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-05-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Hachette makes ebooks available to libraries

Hachette, the last holdout among America's "big six" publishers, will make its full ebook catalog available to nonprofit public libraries and school libraries across the nation on May 8th. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-05-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #school libraries


Headline to publish Eriksson memoir

Headline is to publish a memoir from former England football manager Sven-Göran Eriksson.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-05-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Davies new affiliate publisher of Harper360

HarperCollins 360 has been expanded to make US books available in the UK, with Karen Davies... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Multiplatform Breakthroughs in Regional Publishing

City and regional magazines have, in general, historically been slower to adopt the more cutting-edge digital strategies that their consumer and b-to-b media cousins have pursued. There are exceptions, but the gap between print and digital revenues is still much wider than in other parts of the... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2013-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #regional magazines #digital revenues


May’s Top Reviews of Self-published Books from BlueInk Review

This month's starred self-published titles include a novel about lesbian nuns in pre-WWII Germany and a memoir from the daughter of 1960s cult leaders, among others. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #top reviews #self-published books #blueink review


E-Reading Rainbow: Hachette to bring entire ebook catalog to public libraries

If you're still balking at the cost of download-to-own ebooks, and would rather stick to the tried-and-true library lending system, then this Hachette news is for you. Come next Wednesday, the entirety of Hachette's ebook catalog -- over 5,000 titles -- will be made available to nonprofit... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #physical counterparts #hard copy #pricing scheme #company plans


HC and Quercus sign Publishing Equalities Charter

HarperCollins and Quercus have become the latest publishers to sign the Publishing Equalities... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #latest publishers


Reducing Print? Tackle Fixed Costs First

NEW YORK--When should a newspaper stop or reduce printing? It's a delicate question underscored by a complex calculus, but one that Australia's Fairfax Media CEO Gregory Hywood said publishers can't confront without first reining in f ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-04-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Faber to publish Judith Tebbutt

Faber is to publish an account of being held hostage by Somali pirates written by Judith Tebbutt... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


DC Publishes Guide to Its Graphic Novel Backlist

Looking to provide info to retailers, librarians, and consumers interested in its book-format comics, DC Comics is publishing the DC Entertainment Essential Graphic Novels and Chronology 2013, a 121-page reading guide and index to the publisher’s extensive backlist of collected and original... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #extensive backlist #dc comics


In Morocco, Internet May Lead Children to Books Says Publisher

Amina Alaoui Hachimi from the Moroccan publishing house Yanbow Al Kitab believes the internet is a viable gateway to entice North African children to read. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lead children


AOP begins move to standardise mobile ads for publishers

The Association of Online Publishers has launched a new initiative with 16 leading media owners, to demonstrate the value of premium mobile advertising, with a view to standardising formats. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2013-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online publishers


Apple docked $118,000 by Chinese court for violating authors' copyrights

Apple will have to pay three Chinese authors a total of $118,000 for stocking their books in its App Store without a proper say-so, according to China Daily. A court ruled that it was Apple's job to verify that third-party uploads met copyright requirements and that it had the means to do so... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #court ruled #chinese authors #app store #china daily #ebook stores


Why Not Give Away Ebooks on World Book Night Too?

World Book Night gives away 500,000 print books. Wouldn't it make good sense to extend the promotion by offering free ebooks as well? Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-04-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Bloomberg Revs Up Video News Operations, Publishing 200 Clips Daily

With a global television network operation in place, Bloomberg News is using video clips from its  shows as well as Web-only videos to produce some 200 clips per day,  signaling a new "digital first" approach, says Chris Berend ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-04-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bloomberg news