Something Is Rotten In The State Of E-Book Publishing

The publishing industry has a problem. The old guard haven't innovated. And neither their business models nor their products embrace the digital books revolution. Take the ongoing and complicated spat between Apple and the Justice Department over the agency pricing model and alleged collusion which ended up with consumers being forced to spend more than they needed to. The battle may expand internationally, in fact. Apple tried to expand its 30% revenue share model, which has done very well in the billion-dollar app economy, into books. It also pushed publishers to agree to a very different way of selling their products: Instead of buying books traditionally, at a pre-agreed wholesale price and then pricing them as Apple saw fit in the iBookstore, it would let the publishers set their own price and extract its usual fixed share of the income ... as long as the publishers wouldn't sell ebooks elsewhere.It was a bold move, and one that could and did shake up the industry a bit. Amazon, the publishers contend, had established a monopoly on ebooks, and was selling their wares at overly discounted prices. With Apple's model they could choose to price ebooks lower than physical books cost (appeasing consumers who expect to pay less for a non-physical product), and yet extract more money due to the cost-savings of e-publishing.The DOJ disagreed, and says Apple's deal meant consumers ended up spending much more than they needed to, hence its action against Apple and a laundry... Continue reading at 'Fast Company'

[ Fast Company | 2012-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google Play Books now available in Mexico

Despite going on quite the world tour, Google Play Books hasn't been available as close by as Mexico. That's been rectified: the online bookstore is now open in the country, with both local titles and prices in Pesos. As with some other countries, the expansion also gives Mexicans their first... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Exceptional Women in Publishing Event Enters Fifth Year

 EWIP's annual Exceptional Women in Publishing conference was held earlier this month in San Fancisco. The event marked its fifth anniversary, while the organization itself notched its fifteenth year in operation.   Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2013-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Marcus Rich joins line-up for PPA's Publishing+ conference

The Daily Mail's Marcus Rich is among the executives lined up for the Professional Publishers Association's annual conference, which will examine how to boost digital revenues and explore whether content is still king. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2013-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A Minimalist Comic Book That Stares Straight Into Piet Mondrian’s Soul

Frédérique Rusch transforms Mondrian’s two-dimensional primary-colored grid into a three-dimensional space, with a subtle Charles Burns reference thrown in for good measure. It’s all wonderfully meta: The first page of this comic by Frédérique Rusch is a simple grid that you may or may not... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2013-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Two publishing deals for Lambert

Two publishers have signed up books from Italy-based writer Charles Lambert. Emlyn Rees of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Stellar shortlist for women's book prize

Anyone who thinks women's writing is all about sex and vampires should take a closer look. Continue reading at The Sydney Morning Herald

[ The Sydney Morning Herald | 2013-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book sales fall following bumper week

Printed book sales in the UK slipped back last week, despite a number of new novels by some of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Highlights for Professionals at the Buenos Aires Book Fair, April 23-25

From April 23-25 the BAIBF offers exclusive programming for publishing professionals, including a seminar on change management, honors for Latin America's top 50 publishing pros, and more. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Prospect Books wins André Simon award

A book published by one-man band Prospect Books has won the prestigious André Simon... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Distribution: IPG Signs Up New Publishers

Independent Publishers Group has signed up several new publishers for distribution: Parenting Press, World Book’s Bright Connections Media and Incentive Publications imprints, the Institute of Economic Affairs, Sussex Academic Press and Te Papa Press. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Spanish Magazine Publisher Bets Against the Crisis

Andrés Rodríguez, the publisher and founder of SpainMedia, has much at stake in the debut this month of a Spanish-language edition of Forbes, the American business magazine. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2013-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The E-book Explosion: Facts & Figures 2012

A snapshot of the ebook industry today shows more than 1,000 ebooks with sales of 25,000+. And while our survey of publishers is by no means complete, it's more than enough to prove that the book business is quickly moving to digital. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Geithner lands book deal, release scheduled for 2014

Former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has a book deal.Mr. Geithner has an agreement with Crown Publishers, an imprint of Random House, Inc. Crown announced Thursday that Geithner's book, currently untitled, is scheduled for 2014.Mr. Geithner plans a "behind-the-scenes" account of the... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2013-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Perry to 'go ahead' with book deal

Katy Perry has reportedly decided to write a book that includes details about her failed marriage to Russell Brand. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2013-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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World Book Night picks Liverpool for flagship event

World Book Night UK will be holding its main event in Liverpool this year, in a collaboration... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New book prize unveils sponsor

The Folio Society is unveiled as the sponsor of new £40,000 literary award which will hand out its first accolade in 2014. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2013-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Exploring Accessible Publishing for the Print Disabled

Less than 5% of all published books are available in an accessible format. Several organizations, notably Bookshare, are working to change that woeful statistic. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Picador to publish Gatsby tie-in

Picador is to publish the official film tie-in edition for the forthcoming adaptation of F Scott... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Consortium Announces New Publishers for Distribution

Consortium has announced six new publishers for the fall 2013 season: And Other Stories, Curbside Splendor Publishing, Gallic Books, GILES, Koyama Press, and Stockholm Text. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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FT and Penguin Publish Lunch with the FT: 52 Classic Interviews

LONDON: 14 March 2013: Today the Financial Times and Penguin publish Lunch with the FT: 52Classic Interviews in hardback and eBook format. The book, edited by FT editor Lionel Barber, with a foreword by CEO John Ridding, read ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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